Gennady Golovkin’s priority is preserving Olympic boxing after being appointed chair of World Boxing

Former world middleweight champion Gennady Golovkin has been appointed as the chair of World Boxing as the burgeoning commission seeks to establish itself as amateur boxing’s recognized international federation.

World Boxing has quickly risen to prominence and become something of a beacon of hope for boxing’s future as an Olympic sport, following the International Boxing Association (IBA) being stripped of recognition by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in 2023. The sport has not yet been included in the Los Angeles 2028 Games program as the IOC continues to urge national bodies to embrace the creation of a new global body.

Golovkin, a 2004 Olympic silver medallist while representing Kazakhstan, has not fought since losing his third fight with Saul “Canelo” Alvarez in 2022. Though there was no official retirement from one of the sport’s biggest stars, his appointment this year as the president of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee suggested that the 42-year-old’s ring days were over.

“As well as for all the sports world, it is important to preserve boxing as an Olympic sport and this will be my top priority,” Golovkin said. “I also intend to work closely with the IOC on issues of boxing’s commitment to the Olympic values of honesty, fairness and transparency.

“I am confident that my experience as a professional athlete will help build systemic work within World Boxing and through joint efforts we will be able to give boxing a new impetus to its development, but there is still much to be done.”

World Boxing, who have reaffirmed their commitment to adding to the current 44 members and will host its inaugural world championships in Liverpool next year, are keen to establish evidence of uniformity and financial stability.

“Golovkin will work closely with World Boxing’s leadership to manage the organisation’s relationship with the IOC and oversee the pathway to ensuring that boxing is restored to the sport programme for the Los Angeles 2028 Games,” World Boxing stated on Golovkin’s appointment. “Other members of the commission will be added in the coming weeks to ensure it is diverse and representative of the global boxing community.”