▪️Operating like IBA’s “twin strikers” the two powerful leaders deserve spotlight during the August 27 International Boxing Day to be celebrated worldwide
August 17, 2026
The International Boxing Day will be officially celebrated on 27 August 2026, bringing the global boxing community together to honor champions and inspire the next generation.
Every great boxing story starts with a simple choice: to step into the ring or support those who do. For sixty years, IBA has served as the global home for these stories. But behind the bright lights and shiny gold medals are the everyday heroes—the coaches, local clubs, and young fighters who make up the true boxing family.
It is along these lines the International Boxing Association (IBA), has decided on this theme for the 2026 International Boxing Day: “Honouring our Champions, Inspiring our Future”.
Expounding further, IBA Secretary General & CEO Chris Roberts OBE says: “This theme recognises not only the extraordinary achievements of our champions inside the ring, but also
the countless individuals who contribute to the success of our sport every day. Our athletes, coaches, referees and judges, medical personnel, volunteers, media, administrators, supporters, and National Federations all play an essential role in shaping the future of our beloved sport.
“As part of our worldwide celebrations, we invite every National Federation to create and share short video reels and digital stories showcasing:
a. The impact of boxing within your country and communities.
b. The achievements of your boxers, past and present.
c. Stories of collaboration between athletes, coaches, clubs, schools, and federations.
d. How boxing inspires young people and creates opportunities for future generations.
e. Moments that demonstrate the values of respect, courage, inclusion, friendship, and excellence.
f. The people behind the scenes who help make boxing possible every day.
“We encourage you to be creative and authentic. Let the world see what boxing means to your nation and how our collective efforts continue to change lives.”
Indeed IBA’s strongman CEO Chris Roberts OBE has set the ball rolling for the Big Day.
We at boxersworld.co.ke kick off our series by recognizing the tremendous contribution of IBA President Umar Kremlev and Chris Roberts in transforming boxing worldwide.
Operating like “twin strikers” of the IBA, the dynamic duo have fundamentally transformed global boxing by introducing unprecedented, multi-million dollar prize money funds that guarantee massive payouts for athletes, coaches, and national grassroots programs.
Together, they have shifted the sport from an era where amateur fighters competed for no pay into a “Golden Era” of direct financial security.
For decades, amateur boxers fought purely for glory. They would train for thousands of hours, step into the ring, risk their safety, and walk away with nothing but a medal. Everything changed when Umar Kremlev took over as IBA President. Kremlev brought a bold vision: fighters are the ones creating the value, so they should be the ones getting rich. But a big vision needs an operational mastermind to execute it.
Enter Chris Roberts OBE, a dedicated British boxing leader who was appointed as the permanent CEO and Secretary General.
Kremlev and Roberts formed a powerful tag team. Kremlev secures the massive multi-million dollar budgets, while Roberts designs the global tournament roadmaps and structures. This has turned the IBA into a hybrid powerhouse that protects and funds boxers from their early amateur days all the way into their professional careers.
The biggest contribution of the Kremlev-Roberts era is the introduction of jaw-dropping prize pools that have shattered all historical boxing records.
1. The Record-Breaking World Championships. At the flagship Men’s Elite World Championships, the duo unleashed a massive $8.32 million prize fund.
2. Gold Medalists: Take home a staggering $300,000.
3. Silver Medalists: Take home $150,000.
4. Bronze Medalists: Take home $75,000.
5. Fifth Place (Quarter-finalists): Even those who just miss the podium take home $10,000.
Kremlev and Roberts did not just want to make individual fighters wealthy; they wanted to build up the entire ecosystem of the sport.
They designed a unique payout split for every single prize:
50% goes straight into the boxer’s pocket to support their family.
25% goes to the coaches who trained them.
25% goes to the boxer’s National Federation to buy gear and build gyms for local kids.
When other major sports bodies refused to pay prize money to athletes at the Olympic Games, Kremlev and Roberts stepped in anyway. During the Paris Games, the IBA independently awarded over $3 million to top-placed Olympic boxers, giving $100,000 for gold achievements. Kremlev has explicitly promised to do the exact same thing for the upcoming Los Angeles 2028 Games if other management continues to leave athletes empty-handed.
The numbers speak for themselves. Through the IBA 4-Year Competition Calendar, the twin strikers have committed to an overall $80 million athlete prize fund. This includes launching the new IBA Team World Cup with its own $10 million prize fund, alongside global Champions’ Night events that bring high-paying pro-style fights to every corner of the earth.
As Chris Roberts OBE put it, the goal is to make sure boxers can meticulously plan their careers and see a clear path from everyday training to becoming wealthy global heroes.
By putting the financial well-being of the fighters first, Umar Kremlev and Chris Roberts have fundamentally secured a brighter, fairer future for the sport of boxing.
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