Katie Taylor (red)
Congratulations to the International Boxing Association (AIBA). Founded in 1946 as a replacement for the then world governing body of the amateur boxing, The Federation Internationale de Boxe Amateur (FIBA), AIBA celebrates its 70th anniversary this year.
The Rio 2016 Olympic Games will be the flagship tournament on the occasion of AIBA’s 70th birthday and the qualifiers through AIBA Open Boxing (AOB), the World Series of Boxing (WSB) and AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) will be ummissable, according to AIBA President CK Wu.
He said: “Olympic qualification opportunities are sure to bring out the very best in our boxers in the first half of this year. This is the world’s biggest sporting stage and the competition for places at Rio 2016 will make for an unmissable series of major tournaments, as well as the Women’s World Championships.”
2016 will also see the conclusion of 9th edition of the AIBA World Women’s Elite Championships in Astana, Kazakhstan in May. Katie Taylor will be aiming for her sixth successive gold medal since New Delhi 2006 in Central Asia.
Taylor has never actually won a World title in Europe, arguably the strongest continent in the sport. Of her five gold medals at this level so far, four have been won in Asia and one in Barbados.
Astana 2016 is also doubling up as a qualifier for Rio 2016.