Gennadiy Golovkin, the former world champion and current head of Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee, has officially presented his program as a candidate for the presidency of World Boxing.
World Boxing was established in 2023 after the International Olympic Committee (IOC) suspended the International Boxing Association (IBA) from organizing Olympic qualifying events, and raised the possibility of removing boxing from the Olympic program entirely.
Golovkin, known globally by his ring name GGG, was appointed chairman of the World Boxing Olympic Commission in late 2024. Under his leadership, the new organization secured IOC accreditation to oversee Olympic qualifying events for the 2028 Games.
The current president of World Boxing, Dutch official Boris van der Vorst, will conclude his term at the end of November 2025. He has announced he will not seek re-election.
On November 23 in Rome, representatives from 125 national boxing federations affiliated with World Boxing will vote to elect a new president, vice president, and board members. Golovkin has been nominated for all three roles. His sole opponent in the presidential race is Mariolis Charilaos of Greece.
On Friday, November 7, Golovkin published his official campaign platform.
According to the document, available via the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation’s social media channels, Golovkin’s proposals center on athlete representation, governance transparency, and digital innovation.
If elected, he plans to establish a World Boxing Athletes’ Council in 2026 with voting rights on the Executive Board, and to protect athletes’ rights through the implementation of an independent judging system.
Golovkin also aims to launch a World Boxing Academy for athletes and coaches, covering anti-doping education, mental health awareness, and refereeing standards. The academy would also assist boxers in transitioning to post-athletic careers and offer targeted grant support.
A key element of his platform is the use of artificial intelligence. Golovkin proposes AI-assisted refereeing and the creation of a digital platform called Digital Ringside, which would publish real-time bout data, athlete profiles, and explanations of judging decisions, serving as a transparency tool for the media and public.
In addition, Golovkin advocates for the annual publication of audited financial reports and the development of sponsorships with international brands aligned with Olympic values to support amateur boxing.
“As chairman of the World Boxing Olympic Commission, I worked with partners to expand our membership base. Thanks to those efforts, we achieved provisional recognition and preserved boxing’s place in the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic program,” Golovkin said. “If you place your trust in me, I will continue working to safeguard boxing’s Olympic future, not only for 2028, but for generations to come and to secure full IOC recognition for World Boxing.”
As previously reported by The Times of Central Asia, World Boxing held its first amateur world championship in 2025, where Kazakhstan topped the team standings.
