New Oceania boxing confederation imminent

Boxing New Zealand is hoping to have an Oceania confederation under the new World Boxing umbrella up and running soon.

World Boxing, which was launched in 2023, has 55 members and is looking to fill the void left by the International Boxing Association, which is no longer recognised by the International Olympic Committee.

Boxing's Olympic future remains uncertain with the IOC to make a decision next year about the sports participation in the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.

Boxing has been included in the revised programme for the 2026 Commonwealth Games which will be held in Glasgow.

There are currently five Oceania nations within World Boxing; Australia, New Zealand, Fiji, French Polynesia and Tuvalu.

Boxing New Zealand said it was finalising a new constitution for the proposed Oceania Confederation and that other Pacific nations were keen to join.

There are 17 boxing nations within the Oceania region.

New Zealand had a half a dozen fighters at a World Boxing Under-19 Championship in the USA this year, winning three bronze medals.

Meanwhile World Boxing has backed the newly-formed Asian boxing confederation to represent and promote the sport in the region.

The announcement came days after 25 out of 36 member federations of the existing Asian Boxing Confederation voted to remain affiliated with the IBA in an Extraordinary Congress, Reuters reported.

Immediately after the vote was concluded, ASBC President Pichai Chunhavajira resigned and called for the foundation of a new Asian confederation under World Boxing, which is looking to establish itself as the sport's recognised international federation.

Chunhavajira, who is also president of Thailand's Boxing Association, said the establishment of such a body would "ensure a transparent, fair and sustainable future for our sport".

Asia's Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan, both among the 10 most successful nations in the history of Olympic boxing, this month joined World Boxing.

- additional reporting from Reuters