(ATR) The three largest professional boxing organizations want to knock out AIBA’s professional competition.
Last week, the International Boxing Federation, World Boxing Association and World Boxing Federation met to plan ways to unify the often fractious, usually contentious world of professional boxing. They found strong unity in their anger over the APB, a professional boxing league from AIBA, the body that regulates amateur, Olympic-style boxing. APB will start on Oct. 24.
The WBC, which is leading the movement due to having the longest relationship with AIBA, pulled no punches when describing what it calls AIBA’s "nefarious plans."
"The world of boxing must emphatically reject AIBA’s efforts to kill amateur boxing and to disrupt the free competition model in professional boxing," the statement said.
Speaking to Around the Rings, IBF president Daryl Peoples said the professional boxing organizations are primarily concerned with fighter safety.
He said their biggest fears are that boxers no longer have to wear protective headgear in AIBA events. Additionally, professional fighters are able to fight amateurs at the Olympics—so long as the professionals are in the AIBA Pro Boxing ranks.
"We don’t want men fighting boys," Peoples said to ATR.
"Hopefully they’ll see some of our reasoning from a safety perspective."
Peoples added that the arrangement allowing AIBA-sanctioned professionals to compete in the Olympics "tramples" on the spirit of amateurism, which is supposed to prevail in Olympic boxing.
AIBA declined to comment on the professional boxing organizations’ comments.
One issue that was not a motivating force for the organizations, Peoples said, is APB becoming a commercial threat.
He believes the three bodies, along with the much smaller and less credited World Boxing Organization will always be the real draw for up-and-coming amateurs.
"Boxers want to turn real pro, not APB," he said.
Pursesand gate receipts at marquee fights are likely to guarantee that.
Boxer Floyd Mayweather the world’s best-paid athlete. He earned $105 million in 2013 from two fights, according to Forbes Magazine. AIBA’s total budget does not even come close to that figure.
While AIBA is the target for now, Peoples said the organizations will soon bring their case to the IOC with the hope of using the IOC’s influence on AIBA.
The three organizations are planning a future meeting, "possibly for November," Peoples said.
"We’re unified."
Written by Ed Hula III
Homepage photo: Getty Images
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