The Indian Boxing Federation is the Indian national governing body for Olympic boxing and is India’s member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Assosiation(AIBA) which is headquartered in New Delhi which is currently suspended due to some political issues.In 1925,the first governing body for boxing in India,Bombay Presidency Amateur Boxing Federation was formed in Mumbai.Mostly due to the efforts of H.V.Pointon, the President of the Bombay Presidency Amateur Boxing Federation(1944-45) , Indian Amateur Boxing Federation was founded on february1949.Maj F.G.Baker became the first secretary at the inaugural meeting at the Governor’s Pavilion of the Cricket Club of India in Mumbai.Bombay(Mumbai)became the headquarters of the body and the first National Championships were held at the Brabourne Stadium,Mumbai in 1950.
Since then boxing has come a long way.Though Indian boxing has not grown in leaps and bounds because of the lack of professional insights and infrastructure,still with the achievements of Vijendra Kumar who has turned pro two years back and also Mary Kom after winning medals in the commonwealth games and the Olympics and the Women’s World Championships has inflicted interest among the young generation.Boxing was always considered a crude and bloody sport in India,but with the huge influx of money particularly in the professional level is giving new food for thought.
The IBF comprises about 6000 registered Indian boxers and it maintains records of their personal and professional details which includes their achievements,medals won and championships participated.Registration to IBF andpursuing an identity card is mandatory for each boxer to participate in any championship organized by it.The IBF are fully digitized and it’s website is updated on a daily basis.
In India though the game of boxing does not command a fan following, which is attributed to the lack of discernible international victories and non compliance with the professional promotion.However despite its limited success at large global championships India is a regular medal holder in the Commonwealth and the Asian Games.Mohammad Ali Qaman became the first Indian to win a gold medal at the 2012 Commonwealth Games in Manchester. At the 2008 olympics Vijendra Kumar won a bronze medal in the middleweight category ,but thereafter he bid adieu to his amateur career and turned professional.In2014 three female and two male boxers were among the top three AIBA rankings.India’s Mary Kom a five time World Amateur Boxing Champion and the only Woman boxer to have won a medal in each of the six world Championships,she became the first Indian woman boxer to have won a gold medal in the 2014 Asian games at Incheon,South Korea.Much hype has been created around Mary Kom as recently an autobiographical film was made on her which was first of its kind in India and that too for a woman boxer.Her dedication and commitment towards the game being a mother of two and from a humble family speaks volumes about her and is a constant source of inspiration to many aspirants who aim to make boxing as their career.Also the recent professional bout between Vijendra Kumar and china’s Zulpikar held at Mumbai was the talk of the town where many celebrities came to watch indicates there is a rosy future of professional boxing in India provided it is promoted well.
