Ireland was unanimously affirmed as a full member of World Boxing at the international federation’s Congress in Rome today.
In April, IABA clubs attending an EGM voted by a margin of 116: 1 in favour of joing World Boxing, and provisional membership was affirmed in May. Attending federation delegates today voted on affirming the full membership of each and federation provisionally approved throughout 2025.
IABA was representated at today’s congress by President, Anto Donnelly, and CEO, Gary Stewart.
The two-time middleweight world champion and 2004 Olympic silver medallist, Gennadiy Golovkin, has been named the new President of World Boxing. The Kazakh was the only candidate for the role on the final ballot paper and was named President by acclamation at World Boxing Congress 2025.
Other candidates had put themselves forward in October 2025 to contest the Presidential election, however Golovkin was the only person approved to stand by an independent Vetting Panel, which assessed the backgrounds of all the candidates.
The Vetting Panel is made-up of three independent, external experts and supported by the leading independent provider of sport-specific arbitration and mediation services, Sport Resolutions, and is designed to ensure World Boxing adheres to the highest standards of governance by providing independent, third party checking and oversight of Congress and the election process.
Golovkin will serve an initial three-year term and succeeds Dutchman, Boris van der Vorst, who did not seek re-election following the completion of his term. Gennadiy Golovkin, said: “It is a privilege to be elected as the new President of World Boxing. But this is just the beginning. Starting today, athletes will be at the heart of every decision we make. On the road to LA28, we will restore trust in Olympic boxing to secure our place in Brisbane and beyond. Now it’s time to move forward as one united boxing family.”
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Ryan O’Shea, President of Boxing Canada, was returned as Vice President. Michael Mueller of Germany and President of the Japanese federation, Tatsuya Nakama were elected to the Executive Board.