India to own a WSB franchise

Sabi Hussain

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, January 16

India would soon have a franchise in the World Series of Boxing (WSB) so as to brighten the prospects of the country’s pugilists to secure maximum quota places at the future Olympic Games. 

India had come close to owning a WSB franchise in 2012 with leading sports infrastructure company Transstadia looking to unveil a Mumbai franchise, but the administrative turmoil in the now-defunct Indian Amateur Boxing Federation had led to the franchise owner opting out of the deal.

Indian boxers had paid a heavy price for India’s non-representation at WSB when it came to securing Olympics berths through qualifiers for the Rio Games. Just months before the Games, AIBA, through a rule change, had allotted maximum quota places (63) to its two professional leagues — AIBA Pro Boxing (APB) and WSB. 

India didn’t have any participation in the two leagues and the country’s pugilists competed in other qualifiers. In fact, the prestigious World Championships, which always offered maximum number of quota places, offered just 23 Olympics berths at the last edition.

The rule change by AIBA was the result of its decision to allow professional boxers to compete at the Olympic Games for the first time. Only three Indian boxers — Shiva Thapa, Manoj Kumar and Vikas Krishnan — managed to qualify for the Rio Games.

But, the newly-formed Boxing Federation of India’s (BFI) strong desire to own a WSB franchise would certainly boost Indians’ qualification hopes for Olympics. “India would possibly have a WSB franchise by this year. I had discussions with the top brass of WSB during my recent visit to AIBA’s headquarter in Lausanne. AIBA, too, seems to be very interested and wants India to become part of the WSB fold,” BFI chief Ajay Singh said.

Thapa, Gaurav Bidhuri and Sumit Sangwan have previously competed in WSB. Krishan has been part of APB.

Singh also informed that India would bid for the hosting rights of the AIBA Youth World Championship for women in November this year.