(MENAFN- Gulf Times) AIBA President Dr Ching-Kuo Wu was all praise for local organisers of the World Boxing Championships, led by the Qatar Boxing Federation in association with the Qatar Olympic Committee, at yesterday's launch press conference.
"This is a city (Doha) with a strong tradition of hosting major sporting events, and I am delighted to add the most important boxing event of the year to that history. It is the first time that this event has come to the Middle East, providing us with yet another exciting opportunity to introduce boxing to new audiences," Dr Wu said.
At the heart of Qatar's ambition in hosting world boxing's signature event, there is a strong wish to make the sport of boxing come to life across the region. Throughout the last few months, local organisers have launched a community engagement programme which embraces local Qataris as well as embassies and their strong expat communities.
Adding to the excitement within the local community was confirmation of the surprise visit of Manny Pacquiao, one of the greatest boxers of modern times, who will be amongst the spectators in Doha tomorrow (October 8). Pacquaio will visit Qatar for a whistle-stop tour to sample the incredible atmosphere at the World Boxing Championships.
Highlighting the importance of such a high-profile name coming to the competition, Dr Wu said: "This is the benchmark for future World Championships and I am pleased that Pacquiao accepted my invitation to come and share his thoughts and ideas first hand. We are very happy with the decision to choose Doha to host the 18th edition of our competition. This is a top class venue with top class athletes, and it will make for a fantastic championship," he said.
The programme is already reaping its fruits if the opening ceremony on Monday was anything to go by, with the state-of-the-art Ali Bin Hamad Al-Attiyah Arena filled to capacity with people of all nationalities and backgrounds gathered to welcome the global boxing elite.
Interest for the Boxing Worlds in Doha is booming, with tickets selling well for the marquee event taking place in the same world-class facilities that hosted the hugely successful Men's Handball World Championships in January.
Yousuf Ali al-Kazim, President of Qatar Boxing Federation, and Executive Director of the LOC, said that Doha 2015 will be the most competitive ever: "As has been widely reported, we have 243 boxers from 74 countries here in Doha battling to become world champions and for one of 23 qualifying spots to the Rio 2016 Olympics. It's the first time ever that these athletes have had to qualify to be here, so we are extremely satisfied to have only the best of the best here which will provide us with some tantalising bouts over the next week or so."
"We might not be a big boxing nation, but we love the sport as much as anyone. We sincerely hope that these World Championships can drive recruitment forward, and leave a lasting legacy for boxing across the region. Our teams in the Local Organising Committee have worked ever so hard to make everything perfect, and our ambition is to make the 18th edition of the World Boxing Championships the best ever," al-Kazim added.
With an expected global TV audience of 500 million, all eyes will certainly be on Qatar throughout these Championships. The preliminary rounds started yesterday, and will continue until Saturday when the quarter-finals start.
Sheikha Asma al-Thani, Marketing and Communications Director for the local organisers and the Qatar Olympic Committee, shared her thoughts on the matter: "Qatar is proud to be a modern, cosmopolitan and international nation. We are fortunate to have so many nationalities residing here and such good relations with differing cultures and nationalities. The embassies across Doha have been hugely supportive of our idea to make these World Championships a real celebration of the sport, where people of all backgrounds are welcome to join the fun."
"One of the most important tools to get people to come to the arena and enjoy the multi-cultural, festive atmosphere was to build a great fan zone outside the venue, filled with fun activities for all ages. Here everyone can learn about the sport in a boxing museum as well as take part in boxing-themed training or just relax with some delicious food, and everything is free provided that you have a ticket at hand," she added.
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