Asian Boxing, a recently minted World Boxing affiliate headed by Thailand’s Pichai Chunhavajira as interim president, has named seven top officials from the Boxing Federation of India to “key positions”.
For the record, Asian Boxing was formed as a breakaway continental body after repeated attempts by World Boxing to swing support of the Asian Boxing Confederation (ASBC) away from the International Boxing Association (IBF) failed. At an Extraordinary Congress in Bangkok, 25 out of 36 ASBC member federations voted to remain affiliated with the IBA, with only 10 federations (including BFI) supporting joining WB.
While BFI president Ajay Singh has been appointed as a board member, Indian officials will have representation across all Asian Boxing’s key commissions. This includes BFI secretary general Hemanta Kumar Kalita as part of the Olympic Commission, and BFI treasurer Digvijay Singh, on the finance and audit committee.
“The creation of Asian Boxing marks a significant milestone for World Boxing and a crucial step toward ensuring that boxing remains a part of the Olympic Games in LA 2028 and beyond. India is proud to be at the heart of this transformative initiative, actively contributing to the process of securing boxing’s Olympic future. With strong representation across key commissions, India is strategically positioned to influence key policies, drive the development of Indian boxing, and champion the growth and prominence of the sport not only within the country but across Asia. Through our efforts in partnership with World Boxing, India is playing a central role in advancing boxing’s standards and reinforcing its commitment to excellence at the global level,” said Ajay Singh on the formation of the interim (emphasis ours) Asian body and BFI’s role.
In arelated development, Tokyo Olympic medalist Lovlina Borgohain will be part of Asian Boxing’s newly formed Athlete Commission.
As one of three members of the Athletes’ Commission, Lovlina highlighted the key role India and she can play: “It is an honour to represent India as a member of the Athletes’ Commission in Asian Boxing. This is a vital platform to ensure that athletes’ voices are heard and prioritised in the decision-making process. My focus will be on advocating for better training infrastructure, fair opportunities, and robust support systems throughout Asia that empower boxers to excel on the global stage. India’s active participation in this body reinforces our commitment to fostering talent and promoting boxing as a leading sport across Asia and together, we can create a future where athletes thrive and the sport reaches new heights of excellence.”
BFI vice president (North Zone) Narender Kumar Nirwan will officiate on the Constitution Commission, while BFI Disciplinary & Disputes Commission chairman DP Bhatt will be on the Sports and Competition commission and Dr Karanjeet Singh on the Medical Commission.
“Together, their involvement underlines India’s commitment to ensure the presence of boxing as a prominent Olympic discipline as well as promoting and reinforcing the nation’s growing leadership in the sport,” BFI stated.
The announcement builds on BFI recently obtaining hosting rights for the World Boxing Cup Final 2025 and the World Boxing Congress 2025. Set for November, these newly allocated events “highlight India’s organisational strengths while strengthening its position as a global powerhouse for boxing development”, BFI declared.
