Boxing_News__November_24_2017

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With JOHN DENNEN | @BoxingNewsJD
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WU STEPS DOWN
The president of AIBA,
after 11 years at the top, is
out, writes John Dennen
THE battle to control AIBA, the
governing body for Olympic
boxing, met a sudden twist when
its president Dr. Ching-Kuo Wu
decided to step down on Tuesday.
Wu had resisted efforts to
oust him, defying a vote of no
confidence from the AIBA Executive
Committee and even going to court
in Switzerland when the opposition
set up an Interim Management
Committee to wrest control of the
organisation from him.
In recent weeks the Disciplinary
Commission at AIBA had handed
Wu a provisional suspension,
reinforced by the Executive
Committee. Among the charges he
faced were accusations that he had
failed to reveal the full extent of the
financial crisis engulfing AIBA.
This week, in a surprise move,
Wu issued a joint statement with
chief antagonist, ‘Interim president’
Franco Falcinelli announcing that
he would step down. They claimed
there was “no indication of any
unethical behaviour by either
party”. Wu is now looking for a
dignified exit. As he steps down
from his role as AIBA president, he
Photo: ED MULHOLLAND/USA TODAY SPORTS
is likely to be made an Honorary
President. An Extraordinary
Congress for AIBA’s member
national federations will take place
in Dubai on January 27, not to
vote out Wu now but to consider
governance changes.
ON THE WAY OUT:
Wu stands down as
president, but AIBA is
still beset by problems
AIBA however still remains in a
perilous financial position, still so
over-indebted it risks insolvency.
Wu’s legacy is complicated. He
took over amateur boxing in 2006
as a reforming, anti-corruption
figure and judging in the sport did
improve. But standards slipped.
At the latest Olympic Games the
officiating resulted in bad decisions
in contests, famously illustrated
by Michael Conlan’s furious
assessment live on television.
Ultimately all the Olympic referees
and judges were suspended.
He tried to modernise amateur
boxing in some respects, creating the
quasi-pro World Series of Boxing and
the unsuccessful format AIBA Pro
Boxing. The WSB is well established,
but there was widespread criticism
of Wu’s efforts to allow professional
boxers to enter Rio 2016.
Wu brought women’s boxing to
the fore, triumphantly introducing
it to the Olympic Games at London
2012. The number of women’s
weight categories will be expanded
to five for Tokyo 2020, although this
is coming at the expense of men’s
boxing, where the weight divisions
will be reduced from 10 to eight
categories for the next Olympics.
Wu said he has stood down
“for the sport I love and have
dedicated my life to. I step down
in the best interests of both AIBA
and boxing but I remain committed
to ensure a smooth handover to
the new leadership. I am thankful
for the time I was allowed to
serve our sport, AIBA and the
boxing community.”
HOORAY FOR HENRY
London Community Boxing
enjoy the rewards of victory
Daniel Herbert
RINGSIDE
PECKHAM
NOVEMBER 18
LONDON Community Boxing
held an open show in the Harris
Academy sports hall and the
reward was five winners out of six
(all seniors).
Henry Akpobasa was too
skilful for Spencer Song, although
the Imperial College boxer never
stopped trying, while Rhys
Fowler’s frequent right crosses
earned him a split (but deserved)
decision over Tomasz Zdanawski
in one of the evening’s most
entertaining battles.
Lewin Simpson enjoyed such a
dominant first round against Sam
Mason that a stoppage seemed
possible – but the White Hart Lane
entry rallied so well that the home
boxer had to be content with a
split decision.
Unanimous wins went the way
of Emmanuel Zion and southpaw
Jonathan Okonofur, while Tomas
Regec’s lack of head movement
cost him in a defeat against
Akashveer Dhesi (Odyssey).
Two raw novices produced a
wild, bloody punch-up with Javier
Martinez (Left Hook) unanimously
beating Zubair Azam (IQ).
RESULTS
Junior, 3 x 2: Rahim Ali (Left Hook) outpd John
McDonagh (Islington) unan; Steve McDonagh
(Fairbairn) outpd Sean Leahy (Fitzpatrick’s
Gym) split. Youth, 3 x 2: Mitchel Ackerman (Left
Hook) outpd Jake Samler (Maldon) unan. Senior,
3 x 2: Henry Akpobasa (LCB) outpd Spencer
Song (Imperial College) unan; Kieran Fowler
(LCB) outpd Tomasz Zdanawski (Stonebridge)
split; Javier Martinez (Left Hook) outpd Zubair
Azam (IQ) unan; Akashveer Dhesi (Odyssey)
outpd Tomas Rogec (LCB) unan; Lewin Simpson
(LCB) outpd Sam Mason (White Hart Lane) split;
Abugahal Akbari (Fairbairn) outpd Sloan Siblett
(Herts University) unan; Emmanuel Zion (LCB)
outpd Max Hudson (Danson) unan; Jonathan
Okonofur (LCB) outpd Jurell Da Costa Green
(White Hart Lane) unan; Adeshina Adetoro
(Miguels) outpd Andre Dascalu (Stonebridge);
Zoe Hefford (Double Jab) outpd Jessica Jellicoe
(Herts University) split. 3 x 3: Alex Richards
(Miguels) outpd Marie Conan (Left Hook).
40 l BOXING NEWS l NOVEMBER 23, 2017 www.boxingnewsonline.net