Just announced, but already postponed. Unveiled at the end of last month by the IBA, the first edition of the Nelson Mandela African Boxing Cup will not take place this year as initially planned. The IBA announced in a press release that the Mandela African Boxing Cup, which was due to take place from 9 to 14 October 2023 in Durban, South Africa, will in fact be held at the beginning of 2024. It had already registered 235 boxers representing 34 nations. The reason for this was the postponement of the elective congress of the African Boxing Confederation (AFBC), which was due to coincide with the continental tournament. Chris Roberts, Secretary General and CEO of the IBA, commented: “Our aim is to make the Mandela African Boxing Cup a landmark event for the boxing community and, as such, we feel that it deserves additional time to ensure its success. Furthermore, given the crucial nature of the AFBC Congress, particularly with the presidential elections, it is imperative that we give it the prominence it deserves.” The AFBC Congress was postponed following opposition from a collective of thirty African nations to the list of candidates for the presidency of the African body, validated last month by the nominations commission of the Boxing Independent Integrity Unit (BIIU).
