VICTORY FOR ASIAN BOXING

IBA CEO Chris Roberts commends Sri Lanka's hosting of Asian Boxing Championships

- By ALLAAM OUSMAN

Chris Roberts, CEO and Secretary General of the International Boxing Association (IBA), praised Sri Lanka’s efforts in hosting its first major international boxing event in decades.

In an exclusive interview during the ASBC Asian Under-22 and Youth Boxing Championships in Colombo, Roberts spoke candidly about the challenges, governance dynamics, and the future of the sport, emphasising the resilience of IBA and the promise Asia holds for global boxing.

“Mr. Anuruddha (Shanaka Bandara) has done an outstanding job,” Roberts said. “This is the first time a tournament of this magnitude is being held in Sri Lanka, and the warm welcome from the people of Colombo has really stood out. There’s a real spirit of sport here, and it reflects so well on the host federation.”

Roberts was impressed with the overall setup. “The hotel’s nice, the venue’s nice, and the boxing has been good. On top of that, the courses for officials we’ve run here have added real value. It’s been an all-round package - a win-win situation.”

The tournament’s organisation came with several hurdles - financial constraints, government approvals, and broader governance tensions in the global boxing landscape.