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Can Olympic boxing be saved? Hopes rise as new tournament begins

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World Boxing, the new organisation battling to save the Olympic sport, bring their World Boxing Cup Finals to Sheffield this week.

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Isaac Okoh is a young amateur, but got a shock call up to Anthony Joshua's training camp © Other

World Boxing, the new organisation battling to save the Olympic sport, bring their World Boxing Cup Finals to Sheffield this week.

It begins at the English Institute of Sport, where the GB boxing team is based, on Wednesday and concludes after four days of competition on Saturday.

Britain is entering a new-look team of boxers, starting a journey which they hope will lead them to the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028.

That dream is fraught with jeopardy, not least because boxing currently is not included on the programme for LA 2028 after international federation IBA was expelled from the Olympic movement.

World Boxing is working towards gaining recognition from the International Olympic Committee and campaigning for the sport to recover its place in the Games.

In order to achieve that end, national federations must continue to join the new body. Countries are affiliating, including recent additions of amateur boxing powerhouses Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan. World Boxing must also demonstrate its capability for holding major tournaments. The World Boxing Cup is part of those efforts.

Uzbekistan's Bakhodir Jalolov celebrates after defeating Spain's Ayoub Ghadfa in their men's +92 kg final boxing match at the 2024 Summer Olympics, Saturday, Aug. 10, 2024, in Paris, France. (AP Photo/John Locher)
Image: As it stands, Paris 2024 could be the last Olympic Games to feature boxing

More than 110 boxers from over 20 countries are expected to take part in this four-day tournament, which is the culmination of the World Boxing Cup series for 2024 and follows events earlier this year in Sheffield, Colorado in the US and Ulaanbaatar in Mongolia.

Among the contenders representing GB is heavyweight Isaac Okoh. He is aiming to showcase his potential. "In my adopted hometown and get everyone to come up and support, have a good finish to the year and hopefully bring another gold medal home," he told Sky Sports.

"I've been on [GB] for a year and a bit already, they know me and I've had a few good tournaments already.

"Looking towards the LA qualifiers and the Commonwealth Games and things like that, this is a good opportunity for me to show what I can do and why I should be sent."

Okoh was a sparring partner for Anthony Joshua ahead of the former world champion's rematch with Oleksandr Usyk and was offered the chance to spar Tyson Fury ahead of his undisputed heavyweight title fight with the Ukrainian, only to miss out when Fury picked up the cut which saw that contest postponed.

Lewis Richardson is heading to the Olympic Games in Paris
Image: GB Olympic bronze medallist Lewis Richardson competed at the World Boxing Cup in Sheffield earlier this year

Rather than turn professional himself, Okoh elected to stay amateur and pursue his Olympic dream. He has faith that the commitment will not be in vain and that the sport will eventually feature in LA 2028.

"I would be absolutely gutted if boxing's not in the next Olympics," he said. "World Boxing have tried to step in to take over the Olympics and run the Olympics.

"It's looking hopeful.

"I'm pretty optimistic that World Boxing will come in and sort it out," Okoh continued. "It'll put amateur boxing back on track. It's been a bit all over the place

"I'm just happy to be able to box in their competitions. It's a brilliant platform."

Okoh was also in Paris earlier this year as a sparring partner for 2024 Olympians Delicious Orie and Pat Brown. That has only inspired him to keep on fighting for a place at the 2028 Games.

Cindy Ngamba
Image: Another Olympic star, Cindy Ngamba, performed in a previous World Boxing event

"Being in Paris was brilliant for me and a great experience. Before I went, I probably didn't realise the scale of the Olympics, so when I got there it hit me that this is my dream and what I aspire to do," he said.

"We are at the start of a new cycle now and this competition gives me the opportunity to show why I should be No 1 at my weight."

GB performance director Rob McCracken said: "We have just under four years until LA 2028 so this is effectively the start of a new cycle, and all of the boxers have an opportunity to impress.

"We are competing at home, which is great for the boxers, and we know the World Boxing Cup will be a really high standard so this a great chance for the boxers to show that they can hold their own at international level, lay down an early marker and show me and the coaches that they have all the attributes to be a potential Olympian in four years' time."

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