PNG Boxing Union has received recognition from the International Boxing Association (IBA) following its stunning performance at the recent Pacific Games in the Solomon Islands.
PNG Boxing Union Inc. President Dr. Gideon Kendino said this has cleared the path for PNG boxers to compete at the international level. Their recognition will see PNG boxers compete in friendly bouts and IBA-scheduled events.
Dr. Kendino said: "Because PNG Boxing Union has done well by winning 8 gold medals in the Pacific Games, IBA has recognized us so they'll be paying for 7 males, 6 women and 7 officials to go to Russia in September for the world friendly game and they'll pay for all the expenses.”
He added that there will be prize money paid for in this event but PNG Boxing Union Inc. is not sure how much. This means that PNG National Boxers are no longer amateur. They are international now.
According to Dr. Kendino, PNG Boxing Union’s pathways are more aligned with IBA, which means that PNG Champion boxers like John Ume, Allan Oaike, Kendu Steven and others are Internationals. They can bout in the World Boxing Series Circuit if they do well in the regional championships. This will commence this year with the Oceania Regional Championship scheduled for November.
"If they win the Oceania Championships in Fiji in November, they qualify to then go onto the world boxing series circuit in Morocco in December. So they have an automatic qualification there. If they win the Championship there, the prize money is US$ 500,000.
"So the Pathway from amateur to professional is now clear... the fact that we have 8 boxers winning gold medals at the Pacific games, the challenge is then on us now to win the Oceania championships and then have a direct pathway to the world championships."
Dr. Kendino concluded that the opportunity has now opened up for the PNG Boxers and the onus is up to them to do their best in the regional events to make it through the World Series Circuit.