Phl bids to host WB Congress

ABAP president and World Boxing (WB) Executive Board member Ricky Vargas made it known “informally” that the Philippines will bid to host the 2027 WB Congress, a year before the LA Olympics. Vargas advised the Executive Board of the intent during the WB Congress in Rome last weekend.

- By JOAQUIN HENSON

Vargas and ABAP secretary-general Marcus Manalo attended the Congress where former two-time world middleweight champion Gennadiy Golovkin of Kazakhstan was elected WB president by acclamation. WB was established in April 2023 and a year later, received provisional recognition by IOC as the international federation for boxing. IOC supervised boxing in the last two Olympics and WB will mark its first Olympic operation in Los Angeles. The Philippines was a founding WB member and the first Asian country to affiliate.