IBF initiative putting titles on Belt and Road
The International Boxing Federation has become the first global sports organization to integrate China's groundbreaking Belt and Road Initiative into a high-profile championship series.
At last week's annual convention in St. Petersburg, Florida, the IBF approved an ambitious plan to establish a Belt and Road Region, incorporating the 60-plus nations in Asia, Africa, the Middle East and Europe that are participating in the Silk Road Economic Belt and 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.
The first IBF Silk Road Championship tournament will be staged in China in October, with fighters determined by the sanctioning body's new B&R ratings system. Finalists in each weight division will square off in 12-round regional title bouts (10 rounds for females) and will be eligible for the IBF's world rankings.
