Leaders Confront Scoring Problems
World Boxing leaders now study ways to correct long-standing scoring disputes that have damaged trust in the sport. Officials want clean, consistent judging to secure full recognition from the International Olympic Committee. Outgoing president Boris van der Vorst said the organisation examines the use of Artificial Intelligence to review fights and remove doubts about fairness.
He told reporters that boxing must always reward the better athlete without controversy. He said the sport struggles because juries influence outcomes. He argued that restoring confidence remains essential as World Boxing prepares to run the competition at the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics.
He confirmed that the organisation tests modern tools, including AI systems, to check contested bouts. He said they aim to give athletes and fans confidence in every result. He stressed that these tools remain in development and require careful evaluation.
Ranking System Reshapes Tournament Structure
World Boxing also introduced a global ranking system to prevent top contenders from meeting in early rounds. Van der Vorst said the new points system allows officials to seed athletes before major events. He explained that the absence of seedings previously harmed athletes like Nikhat Zareen, who met eventual champion Wu Yu in the second round at the Paris Olympics despite winning two world titles.
Under the current system, officials use results from an entire season to rank competitors and assign tournament seedings. Van der Vorst said the qualification rules for the Los Angeles Games remain unfinished. He said leaders plan to review all options in the coming year and currently prefer a mix of continental and world qualifiers.
India Emerges as a Growing Boxing Force
Van der Vorst called India a future powerhouse in global boxing after observing strong grassroots interest across the country. He said young athletes in India consistently express their ambition to compete at the Olympics. He praised India’s women’s team for strong results at the World Championships in Liverpool.
He also said India holds major potential in men’s boxing but must consistently deliver on the biggest stages. Van der Vorst, once part of the banned IBA, has spent recent years working to keep boxing in the Olympic programme. He will end his tenure this month as World Boxing prepares to elect a new president.
