Sheffield to host new international World Boxing Cup event in January 2024

A new international boxing competition hosted by England Boxing and World Boxing in association with GB Boxing will take place from 17-20 January 2024 at the English Institute of Sport Sheffield, England.

The event, known as the ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open, Sheffield 2024’, is a new addition to the elite international boxing calendar and will be part of the World Boxing Cup series developed by World Boxing, the new international federation which has been established to ensure boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic Movement.

The World Boxing Cup is a new format in which male and female boxers accrue ranking points over several stages of competition throughout the calendar year. It culminates in a year-end Finals event when the stage winners and other top-ranked boxers compete for the World Boxing Cup trophy.

The World Boxing Cup event in Sheffield will be the first event of the 2024 series and feature seven men’s weight categories and six for women, the same as those that will be used at the Paris 2024 Olympic Games.

The event will be delivered by England Boxing in association with World Boxing and GB Boxing and is supported by the National Lottery, UK Sport and Sheffield City Council.

World Boxing’s Secretary General, Simon Toulson, explained:  “World Boxing is committed to delivering a calendar of high-quality competition opportunities that are designed in the interests of the boxers and it is fantastic that we will be bringing this event to England as part of the new World Boxing Cup series.  The timing of the event is great for all concerned, as it leads into the Olympic qualifier in Italy and shows that we are delivering a competition structure that works for the boxers and will benefit the sport.”

GB Boxing’s Chief Executive, Matt Holt, said: “We have been aiming to have an international boxing competition in the UK for some time now, so it is great that we have been able to link up with the new international federation and key local stakeholders to develop an event that can be part of next year’s World Boxing Cup series.  It is very good news for the boxers in our squad, who usually compete abroad, and it means they will be able to box at home where their family and friends will be able to watch them.

“This is a huge year for our boxers and being able to host this event at home, prior to the second Olympic qualifying event (in Italy from 29 February – 12 March 2024), is ideal preparation for the men and women in our squad as they look to secure their places at Paris 2024.”

Jerome Pels, Chief Executive, England Boxing, added: “We are very proud to be a part of the new World Boxing Cup series and we’re looking forward to being part of this event, which will be a superb opportunity to showcase the popularity of boxing in England. Our staff, officials, and volunteers all possess the skills and expertise necessary to deliver a top-class competition and are looking forward to collaborating with World Boxing and GB Boxing to bring this event to life.

“Having a World Boxing Cup event in England is fantastic for the sport at all levels. It is a tremendous opportunity for Great Britain’s elite boxers to showcase their talent on home soil and, at the same, provides a platform for us to promote, develop and grow the sport at the grassroots.”

Councillor Martin Smith, Chair of the Economic Development Committee at Sheffield City Council said: “It’s great to see this event coming to Sheffield, the home of the Team GB boxing programme.  Events like this are really beneficial to the city and we look forward to working with World Boxing, England Boxing and GB Boxing to deliver a great competition.”

All of the National Federations that have joined World Boxing have been invited to take part in the ‘World Boxing Cup: GB Open, Sheffield 2024’.  National Federations that are not currently members will be able to participate provided their request is approved by the Executive Board of World Boxing.

World Boxing was launched in April 2023 and aims to ensure that boxing remains at the heart of the Olympic movement.  It will seek recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and plans to work constructively and collaboratively to develop a pathway to preserve boxing’s ongoing place on the Olympic competition programme at Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.

27 National Federations, covering every continent that participates in Olympic-style boxing are members of World Boxing.  The first cohort was made up of USA Boxing, New Zealand Boxing, Boxing Australia, GB Boxing, England Boxing and the Dutch Boxing Federation.  They were joined in August 2023 by the National Federations for boxing in Canada, Brazil, Argentina, Germany, Honduras and Sweden.  The next two groups to join included Denmark, Mongolia, Panama, French Polynesia, Finland, Iceland, Jamaica, Nigeria, Norway and the Czech Republic.  The most recent cohort of members in October 2023 was comprised of the Philippines, Scotland, Wales, Suriname and the US Virgin Islands.

Further information on World Boxing is available at www.worldboxing.org.