Matt Holt, the big cheese of GB Boxing, just scored a sweet victory. He’s been elected Vice President of World Boxing at its first-ever Congress in Frankfurt am Main, and let’s just say, he’s not there to serve tea and biscuits.
Holt, who’s been in the sports leadership game for over two decades and has a track record as shiny as a new championship belt, nailed this new role with a whopping 69 percent of the votes. He’s not riding solo, though. Joining him as fellow Vice Presidents are Ryan O’Shea, the head honcho of Boxing Canada, and Dinah Glykidis, the Chief Executive of Boxing Australia. It’s like the Avengers of boxing, but with less spandex and more power suits.
Our man Holt isn’t new to this rodeo. He was one of the masterminds behind World Boxing, way back in December 2022. When they officially stepped into the spotlight in April 2023, Holt was already there, rolling up his sleeves on the Interim Executive Board.
Now, he’s all set to don his Vice-Presidential cap. He’s like, “GB Boxing was key in getting World Boxing off the ground, and hey, it’s nice to be recognized for our hard work.” He’s pumped about the progress they’ve made and is itching to get cracking with his team to give boxing a shiny new future.
During his tenure at GB Boxing, Holt’s seen British boxers bring home a treasure trove of 14 medals from three Olympic Games. That’s like a baker nailing the perfect cake, time after time. He’s now channeling this winning streak into World Boxing, where he’s keen on keeping boxing tight with the Olympic movement, making sure boxers are front and center, ensuring fair play, creating boxer-friendly competitions, and running a tight ship with clear-cut governance and money matters.
The VP election was just one part of a larger vote-a-thon that happened at the Congress. They were picking everyone, from the President to the Executive Board, and the chairs for the Sport and Competition, Medical and Anti-Doping, and Finance and Audit Committees.
Boris van der Vorst from the Dutch Boxing Federation clinched the President’s title, winning over Elise Seignolle from USA Boxing. The newly elected Executive Board members hail from a mix of countries – Germany, the Philippines, Sweden, and Brazil, proving that boxing is as global as the love for a good Netflix binge.
For the committee chairs, Hernan Salvo from Argentina is taking the reins of the Sport and Competition Committee, Dr. Armando Sanchez from the USA is leading the Medical and Anti-Doping Committee, and Julia Felton from Australia is handling the Finance and Audit Committee. It’s like a mini United Nations, but for boxing.
The newly elected bunch, along with two Athlete Representatives, Lauren Price and Richard Torrez Jr, and the Secretary General, Simon Toulson, form a 14-member Executive Board.
World Boxing, born in April 2023, is all geared up to keep boxing a mainstay in the Olympic movement. They’re eyeing recognition from the International Olympic Committee (IOC) and are determined to make sure boxing keeps its spot in the Olympic competition program for Los Angeles 2028 and beyond.