Asian Boxing Leads the Way as First Continental Confederation Under World Boxing

Asian Boxing, the first continental Confederation established under World Boxing, has rapidly become a model of excellence in the global boxing community. In just over six months since its formation, Asian Boxing has achieved more milestones than any other Confederation to date — and its second championship event is set to begin this July in Bangkok, Thailand.

The journey began on November 23, 2024, when Pichai Chunhavajira, President of the Thailand Boxing Association, announced plans to establish a new continental body aligned with World Boxing’s values. Within weeks, Asian Boxing was officially formed on December 12, 2024, with 20 National Federations and Chunhavajira elected as Interim President.

Membership grew steadily, reaching 21 NFs by December 16, and laying down key governance foundations with the establishment of an Interim Board and six commissions on December 23. Just six days later, on December 29, an Interim Secretary General was appointed, and the Headquarters team was formed.

Asian Boxing quickly demonstrated its commitment to transparency, structure, and growth. On January 27, it released its first competition calendar, followed by a landmark partnership on February 8 — signing an MoU with the Olympic Council of Asia (OCA).

Momentum continued as President Chunhavajira met with OCA Director General Hussain Al Musallam on February 25 to discuss including boxing in the Asian Youth Games. Just days later, on February 26, World Boxing earned recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) — a historic step for the sport. The breakthrough was followed by the official confirmation of boxing’s inclusion in the 3rd Asian Youth Games 2025 in Bahrain on March 5, and on March 20, boxing was confirmed for the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games.

On April 17, Asian Boxing hosted its inaugural championship in Amman, Jordan, with hundreds of athletes from across the continent. The Asian Boxing Constitution was then approved on April 26 during an Extraordinary Virtual Congress, solidifying its legal framework.

Most recently, on May 22, the Board approved Bangkok as the host city for its second championship, scheduled to take place from July 30 to August 12, 2025. One day later, Asian Boxing welcomed its 31st member National Federation.

This exceptional progress marks a new era for Olympic-style boxing in Asia. Asian Boxing continues to embody the values of good governance, transparency, and unity — driving the sport forward across the continent and onto the global stage.