Baku hosts Annual Convention of World Boxing Council

By Azernews

By Laman Ismayilova

The 55th Annual Convention of the World Boxing Council (WBC) has opened in Baku with participation of 25 famous boxers, including Evander Holyfield, Vitali Klitschko and Kostya Tszyu.

Azerbaijan’s Youth and Sports Minister Azad Rahimov, Chairman of Azerbaijan`s Boxing Federation Kamaladdin Heydarov, MP of Milli Majlis Fuad Muradov, President of the World Boxing Council Mauricio Sulaiman, as well as former champions in different categories and boxing officials attended the event.

Minister Rahimov, addressing the opening ceremony, highlighted Azerbaijan's sporting achievements and described the convention as a great stimulus to the development of boxing.

"After gaining independence, Azerbaijan joined its first ever Olympic Games in Atlanta in 1996 and gained one medal. At last year`s Games in Rio de Janeiro, Azerbaijani athletes secured 18 medals," he said.

The minister emphasized that the Azerbaijani state pays a special attention to the sports development.

"Azerbaijan is known as a sporting nation in the world. There is a sports infrastructure that meets all the international standards for the organization of large-scale competitions in our country. Among them the National Gymnastics Arena, the Baku Shooting Center and the Baku Olympic Stadium are the most distinguished by their spectacular appearance," he added.

The minister also hailed Azerbaijani boxers` successes. He singled out Mahammadrasul Majidov who recently became a three-time world champion in Germany.

"This type of sport needs speed and agility. If you set the aim before the competition, then it is not difficult to win," said the minister.

The event then featured presentation of boxing champions attending the convention and a short film about world champion Vitaly Klitschko.

Klitschko, addressing the event, expressed his gratitude to the Azerbaijani government for the excellent organization of the event.

He also hailed the government's attention to the development of sports in Azerbaijan. "I want to thank President of Azerbaijan Ilham Aliyev for assistance in organizing this important event. I have never seen such a modern sports infrastructure as here in Baku. It is a very unusual event," the boxer said, adding that he wants to meet with Azerbaijani athletes during his stay in Baku.

In the coming days, the Council's agenda will include such issues as the world classifications, the calendar development of compulsory matches, medical seminars, referees' seminars and review of the competition rules and the awarding of various nominations. At the same time, the visit of the famous boxers to the orphanage is included in the program.

Meetings of the African Boxing Association, the East and Pacific Ocean Boxing Federation and the Asian Boxing Council will also be held as part of the convention.

The WBC was established in 1963 by 11 national boxing organizations. Mohammed Ali, Mike Tyson, Nasim Hammed, Larry Holms, Lennox Lewis, Gennady Golovkin, Roy Junior, Floyd Mayweather Jr., Roberto Duran, Julio Caesar Chavez, Constantine Tszyu and other world-renowned boxers have won the title of WBC champion.

The national boxers win many prestigious awards and always raise the national flag in the international tournaments.

In 2000, at the Sydney Olympic Games boxer Vugar Alakbarov defeated a series of strong, more experienced opponents, and won a bronze medal, Azerbaijan’s first Olympic medal in boxing.

In 2003 Agasi Mammadov wrote his name into the annals of the country’s boxing history. He became the first Azerbaijani to be awarded the title of world champion. 

Today, younger generation continues successes gained by the sportsmen in recent years and uphold