The African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) will lead National Federations in the continent to mark the 27 August International Boxing Day with a variety of activities in Addis Ababa.
AFBC will team up with the Ethiopian Boxing Federation to celebrate this important occasion in the calendar of the International Boxing Association (IBA).
It’s IBA’s President Umar Kremlev who broached the idea for the celebrations back in 2017. The phenomenal success of International Boxing Day has seen it become one of the international flagship events of the IBA. Two years after its inception, IBA’s Executive Committee at time transformed it into a major international celebration day worldwide. The event was originally staged on 22 July, but in 2021, it was rescheduled to 27 August to be celebrated within the dates of the inaugural World Boxing Championships held in 1974 in Havana, Cuba.
Among the African countries that will be engaged in activities to mark International Boxing Day include Ethiopia, Zambia, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Cape Verde, Botswana, Tunisia, Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda and Zimbabwe.
The African Boxing Confederation (AFBC), in conjunction with the Ethiopian Boxing Federation, will lead Africa in what promises to be a colourful celebration bringing together boxers, coaches and boxing stakeholders for a brain-storming discussion on the future of boxing on the continent.
The celebration in Addis Ababa will include both in-person gatherings and virtual meetings, ensuring broad participation from all corners of Africa. One of the key components of the celebration will be a public showcase at the Adwa Museum where attendees can experience the rich history and cultural significance of national and continental boxing. This event aims to raise awareness about the sport, highlighting its potential to empower boxers and foster community engagement. By showcasing local talent and providing a platform for boxers to share their stories, the celebration will serve as an inspiration for aspiring boxers and sports enthusiasts alike.
In addition to the public showcase, a panel discussion featuring prominent figures such as the Sports Minister, media representatives, boxers, coaches, and government officials will take place in Addis Ababa. This forum will provide an opportunity to address pressing issues facing the boxing industry. By facilitating open dialogue among key stakeholders, the panel aims to generate actionable strategies for elevating boxing in Ethiopia and throughout Africa.
By uniting voices from various sectors of the boxing community, the African Boxing Confederation and Ethiopian Boxing Federation hope to create a sustainable framework for the growth of boxing, ensuring that boxers receive the support they need to thrive both in and out of the ring.
Cape Verde’s Boxing Federation President, Manuel Amaro, still basking in the glory of David Pina’s boxing bronze medal – the first ever Olympic medal for the island nation – said they will have a radio show and boxing matches on Saturday.
‘We intend to have a radio debate on boxing as an individual sport mostly practised in poor peripheral neighbourhoods to keep the flame burning following Pina’s historic achievement in Paris,’ said Amaro.
‘On Saturday there will be boxing matches on the islands of Santiago and Sao Vicente to further mark International Boxing Day.’
Zambia, Zimbabwe and Botswana will also organise tournaments to mark the day. Zimbabwe held theirs over the weekend and distributed 260 gloves to clubs.
‘We brought forward the celebrations because during the week some of our members including boxers will be at their places of work,’ said Zimbabwe Boxing Federation (ZBF) Secretary-General Arvian Mathe who is full of praise for IBA’s President Kremlev for coming up with this gem of an idea to create more awareness and interest on boxing.
‘We staged a tournament to select the final team to represent Zimbabwe in the African Men’s and Women’s Championships in DR Congo.’
Zambia Boxing Federation Secretary General Bornwell Banda said they will stage the 11th edition of the Charm Shuffle Chiteule Memorial Tournament in Kabwe where the former celebrated boxer – a Commonwealth featherweight champion – was born on 10 October 1953. Nicknamed Shuffle for his nimble footwork, Chiteule, who belonged to the golden generation of among others Lottie Mwale, Chisanda Mutti, Julius Luipa and John Sichula, died on 6 May 2008. He was also the Zambian Boxing Federation President. Before his demise, Chiteule was honoured by President Levy Mwanawasa with ‘The President’s Insignia for Meritorious Achievement.’
Botswana will hold a tournament on Tuesday which will also involve junior boxers now that schools are on holiday, and in Burundi clubs will have a training session in the capital city Bujumbuta after which the boxers will be treated to a sumptuous lunch by the National Federation President Eric Nyayishimie, who will also engage the boxers in a discussion on how to raise the standards of the game in Burundi.
Sierra Leone Boxing Association (SLBA) said they are planning to engage students, vulnerable children in the streets, boxers, journalists and other boxing stakeholders on the importance of boxing and how the sport has improved the lives of many African youth from underprivileged communities.
‘We will talk to them on how boxing has impacted counties in Sierra Leone and benefited African youth,’ SLBA informed. ‘We will also use the platform to urge corporate organisations to sponsor boxing. Later we will engage in sparring sessions.’
As AFBC leads the continent in marking International Boxing Day, boxing fans in Africa are nostalgic on the inaugural World Boxing Championships in Havana in 1974 as it evokes fond memories of Africa’s remarkable success that has yet to be matched by the current generation of boxers.
East African countries, Kenya and Uganda, then among the world’s superpowers in the
ring, led Africa in this memorable tournament during which the continent won five medals. Uganda’s Ayub Kalule and Kenya’s Steve Muchoki punched their way to the finals with Kalule clinching the light-welterweight title to become Africa’s first-ever World champion while Muchoki settled for a silver medal after losing to Cuba’s Jorge Hernandez whom he beat in the 1978 World Championships finals in Belgrade to win Kenya’s first-ever gold medal – and the only one so far – in the IBA World Boxing Championships.
In addition to Kalule’s gold and Muchoki’s silver, Africa scooped three bronze medals in Havana 1974 through Ghana’s light-welterweight Amon Kotey, Uganda’s light-middleweight Joseph Nsubuga and Nigeria’s heavyweight Fatai Ayinla.
Credit: IBA
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