The World Championships took place in Belgrade (Photo: AIBA)
The 2021 Men’s World Boxing Championships has ended in Belgrade. Organised by the International Boxing Association (AIBA), this biennial tournament saw boxers from 88 AIBA member federations compete in 13 weight categories.
“You have shown us strength, but you have also shown us so much more: patience, respect, friendship and courage. Those attributes are pillars of our daily lives, not just in boxing. Participants of these Championships became an example to all of us”, AIBA President Umar Kremlev said to the athletes.
The winners benefitted from unprecedented prize money, with gold medallists winning $100,000 each, in addition to solid gold medals and champions’ belts.
Following the final medal ceremony, Andy Cruz Gomez from Cuba was named the best boxer of the Championships. He received one of the most important trophies in boxing history: the Val Barker trophy, named after the British champion and pioneering international boxing leader Valentine Barker, and first awarded in 1936. This year’s winner, Gomez, was in light welterweight (63.5 kg) and produced outstanding performances that transcended his weight class.
Athletes from the AIBA Fair Chance team were also honoured as winners of the AIBA Fair Play Moment 2021.
“Fair play comes in many forms in relation to sport. It might be a moment of respect, or friendship,” said Gabor Deregan of AIBA’s International Fair Play Committee. “And in this case, it was a moment of equality and inclusiveness. It was a moment where special efforts were made to ensure the presence of athletes who faced considerable difficulties just in attending the AIBA World Championships. The boxers then rose to the occasion with their performances.”
The list of winners can be seen here.
