Dubai, UAE (December 8, 2023) – Dubai is ready to host a packed day of boxing action on 9 December 2023 for IBA Champions’ Night, with members meeting for the IBA Ordinary Congress, followed by the Global Boxing Forum discussing the matters at the heart of boxing.
It follows the same successful format rolled out in 2022 in Abu Dhabi, another city in the United Arab Emirates.
In the morning, the IBA Ordinary Congress will be opened by IBA President Umar Kremlev, with membership matters one of the key points on the agenda. The reintroduction of Switzerland and the introduction of the Norfolk Islands as full members will be voted on.
Amendments to the IBA Constitution will be considered, followed by the election of a new IBA Board member, replacing the vacant position for an American Boxing Confederation representative.
Three candidates are vying for the spot – Lourdes Avendaño from Bolivia, Ivonne Nuñez from Ecuador, and Luisa Benitez from Venezuela, who have all been deemed eligible by the BIIU Nomination Unit.
The fourth edition of the Global Boxing Forum is scheduled to start in the afternoon with the overarching theme this year being “Protecting the Physical, Mental and Financial Health of our Athletes”.
Speeches will be heard from the IBA President and the host organisation, the UAE Boxing Federation. Secretary General and CEO of the IBA, Chris Roberts OBE, will be on the first panel of the day: “Financial Support Program as a tool to excel” with Dutch-born boxer and IBA Champions’ Night winner Megan de Cler.
Other panel sessions will focus on mental and physical health; brand optimisation as an athlete, the introduction of IBA’s New Generation Scoring System, and diversity and inclusion.
A section will be dedicated to a Q&A session between the IBA President, and journalists present at the event, following on from the inaugural IBA Global and Continental Journalists Awards.
Chris Roberts will also deliver an overview on “The Future Look of IBA Competitions as Champions’ Night Gains Momentum”, prior to the eighth edition of IBA Champions’ Night, that evening.
The main event of Champions’ Night sees Olympic champion from Russia, Albert Batyrgaziev, face three-time world champion Lazaro Alvarez of Cuba in the men’s 60kg weight category. It will be the first IBA professional title fight in history, consisting of 10 rounds.
On the undercard, 2023 world silver medallist Saidjamshid Jafarov from Uzbekistan takes on Japanese boxer Sewonrets Okazawa, a 2021 world champion, in the men’s 71kg. World silver medallist Aliaksei Alfiorau of Belarus challenges Azerbaijan’s Loren Alfonso, world champion and Olympic bronze medallist, in the men’s 86kg contest.
The latest addition to the card will see France’s three-time world champion and Olympic silver medallist Sofiane Oumiha and Spain’s Jose Quiles Brotons, silver medallist at the European Games and European Championships, compete in the men’s 60kg category.
Three professional bouts are on the card too – the 12-round headliner will be between world and Olympic champion, Russian Evgeny Tishchenko and Germany’s Leon Harth for the WBA World Champion title in the 101.6kg weight category.
Another Russian-German bout will take place on the undercard as two-time world champion Muslim Gadzhimagomedov meets Artur Mann of Germany in a 10-round bout, following on from an eight-round contest between world champion Mark Petrvskii of Russia and Australian Lucas Browne. Livestreams for the IBA Ordinary Congress, Global Boxing Forum and Champions’ Night will be available on the www.iba.sport website.
