IBA unveils plans for elite 'festival' in Dubai

The International Boxing Association (IBA) has announced plans for a two-week festival of boxing for Dubai, with the 2025 IBA Men's Elite World Championships taking place at the city's iconic National Tennis Stadium from Dec 2-13.

The showpiece event will see the IBA welcome the world's finest international talent to the region to compete for a share of the $8 million in prize money. With $300,000 on offer for the winner of each category, the competition is set to be the most well-funded in the sport's history.

IBA president Umar Kremlev has said the record-breaking prize pool underscores the association's continued commitment to investing in grassroots boxing and its dedication to rewarding excellence on the global stage.

The prize money is allocated in a way that recognizes the combined efforts of boxers, their coaches and their respective national federations.

Of the $300,000 awarded to the winner of each category, half of the total goes to the boxer, 25 percent to the coaches and the remaining 25 percent to the respective national federation. The runner-up and third-place boxer will be awarded $150,000 and $75,000, respectively, for themselves, their coaching teams and federations.

"These world championships are not just about records and prize money. They are about giving every boxer, every coach and every national federation the respect and reward they deserve," said Kremlev.

"Dubai will become the capital of boxing this December, where athletes from every corner of the globe will compete on equal terms, under their own flags, and with a chance to change their lives.

"The IBA exists to protect boxers, to create opportunities and to ensure that the sport remains a force for unity and fairness. The festival of boxing will be remembered as the moment when our sport reached a new level."

With a legacy spanning over 75 years, and having nurtured some of the finest boxers to ever grace the sport, the IBA is a global leader of elite level amateur and professional boxing, guiding talent from day one and upholding the sport's heritage and values.

The association says the 2025 championships will embody this enduring commitment, elevating boxing to new heights with a spectacle that blends world-class competition, cultural celebration and unparalleled showmanship.

According to organizers, the tournament will seek to unite the world's leading boxing nations and welcome fighters from around the globe in a display of unity, skill and equality.

"The IBA Men's Elite World Championships in Dubai this December will be more than a competition, it will be a celebration of boxing in all its forms," said Chris Roberts, secretary general and CEO of the IBA.

"Coupled with the IBA Global Boxing Forum, a top-class IBA Pro Event and the IBA Congress, this gathering represents the full spectrum of our sport. IBA is not just an organization, it is a philosophy. A global movement that champions excellence, innovation and unity in boxing."

The event will transform Dubai into a global epicenter of the sport, with the IBA welcoming fighters from all nations and federations, blending elite competition with vibrant fan experiences and further symbolizing the IBA's vision of a sport that unites beyond borders and politics.

The IBA invites fans, media and enthusiasts to join this historic spectacle, as the world's best boxers compete in a show-stopping event that will echo through the ages.