Boxing legend Gennadiy Golovkin will run to become president of new federation World Boxing as he looks to continue the campaign to preserve the sport’s Olympic status.
Boxing was removed from the programme for LA 2028 after former governing body, the IBA, was expelled from the Olympic movement.
World Boxing was formed to save the sport’s place in the Games and managed to gain recognition in time for the next Olympics, restoring boxing for LA 2028.
Announcing his candidacy, Golovkin wrote on social media: “If elected I will work to ensure boxing’s Olympic future, restore global confidence, and guarantee that every federation, coach and athlete has a fair chance to grow.
“Our mission is clear: to achieve full IOC recognition and to confirm boxing’s place at the Olympic Games in Los Angeles 2028, Brisbane 2032 and beyond.”
Golovkin watches the World Boxing Championships with undisputed heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk
Golovkin was a superstar in professional boxing and a feared middleweight world champion. He was also an Olympic silver medallist and is the president of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee.
He has served as the chair of World Boxing’s Olympic Commission since September 2024. As World Boxing faced an urgent challenge to sign up members and gain recognition from the IOC (the International Olympic Committee) the involvement of Golovkin in the organisation was a major intervention.
This presidential election will not feature the current holder, Boris van der Vorst, who announced in September that he is not standing for a second term.
Golovkin will be running against Mariolis Charilaos from Greece. Charilaos was president of the Hellenic Boxing Federation from 2021 to 2025 where he implemented governance reforms.
The election will take place at World Boxing’s third annual Congress in Rome on November 23.
