On March 25, 2025, the African Boxing Confederation (AFBC) held a high-level reflection forum, bringing together presidents and representatives of national federations from across the continent. The meeting, convened under the leadership of AFBC Interim President, General Ferdinand Ilunga Luyoyo, provided a platform to assess the current state of African boxing and discuss the necessary steps to ensure its continued progress and stability.
The forum was attended by national federations from Algeria, Angola, Benin, Burundi, Cameroon, Chad, Comoros, Congo, DR Congo, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, Guinea Bissau, Guinea, Kenya, Libya, Malawi, Mali, Mauritius, Namibia, Niger, Uganda, Senegal, Tanzania, Togo, and Zimbabwe. Madagascar, Sierra Leone and Tunisia were unable to attend due to justified reasons. Additionally, several other federations reported technical challenges preventing their participation but reassured AFBC leadership of their full support for the meeting’s outcomes.
The primary objective of the forum was to reflect on the current landscape of boxing in Africa, particularly in light of recent global developments and the ongoing uncertainty at the AFBC level.
The delay in decision-making by the IBA Board of Directors has contributed to continued instability within the African boxing community, making it imperative for federations to take a unified approach in addressing these challenges.
During the meeting, General Luyoyo reviewed the progress achieved since the successful organization of the African Boxing Championships in Kinshasa in October 2024.
He commended the resilience and determination of national federations during this period of uncertainty and expressed satisfaction with the strong turnout, which met the quorum requirement despite challenges such as Ramadan and a boycott attempt led by former AFBC President, Mr. Eyassu Wossen Berhanu.
The attending federation presidents and representatives engaged in open discussions on various critical issues affecting African boxing, particularly its future direction.
A thorough assessment of the situation was made, and the need for practical solutions was widely acknowledged.
The federations in attendance unanimously welcomed the initiative taken by the AFBC Interim President and emphasized the importance of continued engagement.
As a result, it was agreed that as a follow-up a committee composed by 3-5 people will be created to make a deep reflection on all the issues and propose solutions to AFBC and other forums will be scheduled in the coming days to establish concrete decisions addressing the current challenges.
Before closing the meeting, General Luyoyo extended his gratitude to all participants for their commitment, presence, and the seriousness demonstrated throughout the discussions.
He reiterated his confidence that, through unity and decisive action, African boxing will emerge stronger and more resilient in the face of current challenges.
