AIBA to launch professional programme...

[Tarquin Tarpaulin V]

The International Boxing Association's (AIBA) President C K Wu made a historic announcement today in which he revealed that the governing body for amateur boxing will make a major move into professional boxing.

A new programme, entitled AIBA Professional Boxing (APB), is to be launched in early 2013 and will feature both individual and national team bouts at national, continental and world levels, Wu announced in the Kazakhstan capital, Astana

http://www.insidethegames.biz/sports/su ... nal-boxing

[slapbangwhallop]

This is has the potential to be a revolutionary development in our sport but there are a lot of questions that need answering before I will be in a position to form an opinion of whether I am in favour or not. I strongly believe that something needs to be done to sort the sport out but I don't yet know if it is this.

I am with you on that one. It could be what we (boxing fans!) have been calling out for for year, i.e. a FIFA style umbrella organisation that controls all aspects of the game from grass roots to elite and is not simply in existance for the profit making of those in control.

However, there are so many agendas and there would be so many powerful opponents that it would be like a civil war in boxing.

Interesting development though.

[Tarquin Tarpaulin V]

Note the suggestion that former Pros can return to the amateurs and gain an Olympic place........

[Jeff Thomas]

This could be seriously good- or seriously bad