World Series of Boxing Season IV Finals to be staged in Baku

The World Series of Boxing (WSB) has accepted an offer from the Azerbaijan Baku Fires franchise to host the WSB Season IV Finals in the City of Baku, Azerbaijan, after the Ukraine Otamans franchise withdrew its plan to stage the event due to current tense situation in the country.

The finals will take place on the following new dates: Friday 6 and Saturday 7 June.

Commenting on the announcement, the AIBA President and WSB Board Chairman Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, said:

“I am very pleased that we have found a host city at this late stage after Ukraine withdrew its intention to host the Finals.”

“Baku has already hosted several AIBA and WSB competitions and we are very confident with the Azeri’s franchise’s ability to successfully organize and manage this important event.”

“We sincerely appreciate the kind support expressed by the Azerbaijan Baku Fires in such a difficult situation and we look forward to two exciting nights of world-class boxing.”

Prior to gratefully accepting this offer, the WSB consulted with the Cuba Domadores franchise on the newly-proposed location for the finals. The Cuban team provided WSB with their positive feedback, emphasising at the same time that they were fully convinced of the capacity of Baku Fires to organise top-level event.

Both matches will be televised worldwide via www.aibaboxingtv.com.

AIBA President receives Honorary Doctorate from the Bulgarian National Sports Academy

The President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) Dr Ching-Kuo Wu was conferred today the Honorary Doctorate from the Bulgarian National Sports Academy “Vassil Levski” (NSA) in Sofia.
In his Honorary Doctorate Acceptance Speech Dr. Wu, who also serves as the Executive Board member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC), thanked the Academic Council and underlined that by instilling the Olympic values and culture in the young generation, this educational institution not only produces the best ambassadors of these values, but also fosters better members of our society.

“At a very early stage in my life, I found a language that helped me connect to the world and other people, other nations. This was and still is the language of the sport. This is a language without boundaries and it travels freely and safely among the people of the world,” said the AIBA President.

Attending the momentous occasion included the Deputy Minister of Youth and Sport Mr. Yorgan Yevchev, the Bulgarian Olympic Committee General Secretary Mr. Belcho Goranov, and the Bulgarian Boxing Federation President Mr Krasimir Ininski.

The National Sports Academy plays a fundamental role in developing the potential and talent of thousands of students of Bulgaria, and since 1942 has become one of the most important promoters of sporting values in the country, as well as at the international level.

The “Vassil Levski” Academy awards with Doctor Honoris Causa an honorary degree to prominent public and sport-engaged persons, with special contributions to the development of sport education, Olympism and to preserving the values of youth civil and social integration.

This ceremony first took place in 1996, when the Academic Council of the NSA made the decision for conferring the title as a way of honouring distinguished people.

Since then, the honorary sign has been bestowed to 18 world sport and public leaders, among them the former IOC Presidents Juan Antonio Samaranch and Dr. Jacques Rogge.

The AIBA President is visiting Sofia this week on the occasion of the 2014 Youth World Boxing Championships, which is being hosted in the Bulgarian capital.

AIBA announces date of first official APB Event

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is delighted to announce that it has now set the date of the historic very first AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) Event to the Friday October 24, 2014.

Following various discussions with AIBA Executive Committee Members, APB Executive Board Members and AIBA National Member Federations, as well as with potential media and commercial partners, it became clear that this date was the best to launch this revolutionary new competition program of AIBA.

Consequently, some boxers which have committed to join APB remain eligible for certain upcoming AIBA Open Boxing (AOB) competitions such as the Commonwealth Games and the Asian Games until the APB registration’ deadline has passed.

The schedule of the maiden Cycle of APB is as follows:

APB World Pre-Ranking Competitions, round 1: October 24-26

APB World Pre-Ranking Competitions, round 2: November 20-23

APB World Ranking Competitions: December 18-21

Inaugural World APB Champion Title Matches:

January 22-25, 2015

January 29-February 1, 2015

Full details of each event will be revealed closer to those dates.

“As AIBA President and on behalf of the entire boxing community, I am extremely happy that we have now set another milestone in the development of our beloved sport”, stated AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu. “APB aims at bringing boxing back to a mainstream position in the world of sports by taking into account the needs of its fans.

As of October 2014, only the very best boxers on the planet will compete against each other in a merit based and comprehensive ranking system, with transparent and fair judging. APB is an absolute revolution and it will soon crown the only undisputable World Champions”.

AIBA President: “WSB quarter-finals – perfect symbol of peace through sport”

The International Boxing Association (AIBA) President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu, who will be attending the World Series of Boxing (WSB) Russian Boxing Team vs. Ukraine Otamans quarter-final matches in Moscow on March 31 and in Donetsk on April 4, said today “I am convinced that we are about to witness some of the most amazing matches in WSB history”.

“Both teams are not only based in major boxing nations, but they also are very strong WSB Franchises”, underlined Dr Wu.

According to the AIBA President, even though the Otamans are one of the newest teams in the League, they still managed to box their way to the most closely fought WSB Finals ever seen last season, and came close to finishing on top of Group A, a couple of weeks ago until they were pipped to the post at the last minute by the Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder.

In the meantime, Russia has had a team in the WSB since the very first season in 2010, and has gone from strength to strength since then, even beating the mighty Cuba Domadores in their last match.

“AIBA, as a part of the greater Olympic Family, strongly believes in and promotes through its competitions the Olympic values – fair-play, excellence and friendship. Therefore I want to express my gratitude to both Franchises for having organized this match and the return leg, in line with the main principles of Olympism, not to mention, the overall professional behaviour in which they approached the preparation process”.

“On April 6, we will be celebrating the very first International Day of Sport for Development and Peace. I strongly believe that sport can drive peace around the world. And I know that this WSB quarter-final will be the perfect symbol of that”.

The President of the Russian Boxing Team and WSB Commission Vice Chairman, Mr Maxim Shabarin said “As the Russian Boxing Team has to face the Ukrainian Team in the quarter-finals and our opponents have lined-up their strongest boxers, our team has been training very hard to be in their best shape for this match”.

The President of the Ukrainian Boxing Federation and of the Ukraine Otamans Franchise, Mr. Volodymyr Prodyvus, also flew to Moscow to support his team for the match. “First of all I would like to congratulate the Ukrainian and the Russian Teams for qualifying to the WSB Season IV quarter-finals. We will soon witness an encounter in the ring between these two boxing super powers. The Franchises have great sporting traditions and both teams can be truly considered to be among the main challengers to win the WSB Finals this season. I am convinced that the upcoming match between the Ukraine Otamans and the Russian Boxing Team will play an important role not just in a sporting sense, but it will also help to unite the fans from Ukraine and Russia around a common interest. I expect a number of bright and uncompromising fights from this match. We respect our opponents, we are focused on victory and we will do our best to realize our goal which is to advance to the next stage of the competition”.