Pakistan Professional Boxing Board Launched
Pakistan has established a professional boxing board aimed at developing the sport, providing local fighters with international opportunities and introducing a transparent regulatory system, officials said.
The Pakistan Professional Boxing Board will oversee the registration, licensing and training of boxers, referees and judges, while seeking affiliations with international boxing organisations. The first professional boxing event under the new initiative is expected to take place on February 10 next year. The Tribune reported the launch on Thursday.
The announcement was made by board chairman Amir Khan during a press conference at the National Press Club in Islamabad, where he highlighted the lack of boxing academies and modern training facilities across the country.
Amir Khan announced the board in Islamabad
Khan said Pakistan had considerable boxing talent, particularly in Karachi’s Lyari area, but young fighters lacked the facilities and financial support needed to develop their careers.
Lyari has produced boxers for generations, yet the area’s gyms and clubs have long run on thin resources. That gap is the problem the new board says it wants to close: talent is not the constraint, structure is.
Khan urged the government to provide vacant sports complexes and available public land for boxing academies, adding that he was willing to establish additional facilities through private resources.
He said financial constraints and the high costs of international competitions had forced several talented Pakistani boxers to leave the country or represent other nations.
What the Pakistan professional boxing board will do
The new board aims to provide fighters with overseas competition opportunities, international-standard training and sponsorships. Boxers will also receive financial compensation regardless of the outcome of their bouts, Khan said.
The board will seek affiliations with the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), International Boxing Federation (IBF), World Boxing Organization (WBO) and Commonwealth Boxing to help Pakistani fighters compete for international titles.
Affiliation matters because it is the route to ranked fights and title shots. Without a recognised board, a Pakistani boxer cannot build the official record that world bodies require before they sanction a title bout.
Khan said the board had been established through private-sector efforts and would not rely on government funding or public resources.
He stressed that medical examinations, fitness tests and other health checks would be mandatory before competitions, while fighters would be matched according to their experience and competitive records to ensure their safety.
First event set for February 10
Board president Shajjad Khan said the initiative would also focus on training and qualifying referees and judges through national and international-standard courses. Their performance would be regularly assessed, with only qualified officials assigned to competitions to ensure fair and transparent decisions.
General secretary Tahir Khan said the board aimed to raise the international profile of Pakistani boxers and technical officials, adding that it hoped to create opportunities for local referees and judges to officiate at Asian and global competitions.
The board’s legal representative, Sultan Qamar Afzal, said the organisation would work to protect fighters’ rights and ensure compliance with relevant rules and regulations.
Officials said the registration portal, Showboxing.com, had been launched, allowing boxers, referees and judges to apply online. Applications will undergo scrutiny, followed by medical examinations and interviews before successful candidates receive licences. The board also plans to maintain fighters’ competition records and results on recognised international platforms to ensure their authenticity and prevent alterations.
Lyari talent needs facilities, Khan says
Pakistani boxing has produced results even without a professional structure. Abida Batool won a WIBA title earlier this year, showing that Pakistani fighters can win honours abroad. The question the new board must answer is whether it can give the next generation a route to the same stage without leaving home.
The wider fight world is busy as well. Wilder faces Opetaia on the undercard of the Fury-Joshua fight, Jake Paul is set to face Doumbe in Dubai, and Amanda Serrano is preparing a farewell fight in Puerto Rico. If the new board delivers on its first event in February, Pakistani fighters will have a local stage of their own to aim for.
Frequently asked questions
What is the Pakistan Professional Boxing Board?
A new body that will register, license and train boxers, referees and judges, and seek affiliations with international boxing organisations.
Who is behind it?
Former world champion Amir Khan is chairman, Shajjad Khan is president, Tahir Khan is general secretary, and Sultan Qamar Afzal is the legal representative.
When is the first event?
The first professional boxing event under the new initiative is expected on February 10, 2027.
How can boxers register?
Through the portal Showboxing.com. Applications face scrutiny, medical examinations and interviews before licences are issued.
