President of the Guyana Boxing Association Steve Ninvalle yesterday met with former WBC light welterweight boxing champion Kostya Tszyu.
Tszyu, who is Russian by birth, is a former undisputed junior welterweight champion.
Ninvalle is currently in Abu Dhabi where he is attending the International Boxing Association’s Global Boxing Forum.
The key theme of this year’s IBA Global Boxing Forum is ‘Ensuring sound opportunities for athletes and IBA’s place in the Olympic Games’.
The IBA brought experts and industry leaders together to discuss relevant topics, such as `Sport for Peace and its Power to Support Conflict Resolution’, `Challenges and Solutions for Boxing Development on The Five Continents’, `Sports and Governance Integrity’, ‘Career Development Journey from the IBA to Professional’ ,`Digital Media and its Role in Developing Boxing in the Gulf Region’, ‘Social Responsibility and Humanitarian Initiatives Powered by Boxing’ and `IBA’s Digital Transformation’.
Tszyu is one of three former world boxing champions at the Forum, the others being Roy Jones Jnr., and Evander Holyfield.
Ninvalle, who spoke at the Forum, noted that the IBA has been facing significant governance issues from the International Olympic Committee and said that it was high time that the IBA took a firm stance.
“We continue to be punished for a culture of corruption that was created and nourished by some individuals from the IOC’s upper echelon,” a statement from the IBA declared.
“Now boxing is under attack and all IBA stakeholders, its athletes, are ready to stand and defend boxing,” the IBA’s statement added.
Ninvalle said the three former world champions are supporting the IBA’s battle against the IOC.
