Leading national federations are preparing to celebrate International Boxing Day. On 27 August, the headquarters of the International Boxing Federation will be in Havana, Cuba. To mark this special day, the IBA will host a Champions' Night. 

The main event will bring together some of Cuba's top boxers, with two titles on the line during the event. The celebrations will include in-person activities as well as online initiatives organised by various entities.

Cuban Julio La Cruz and Spaniard Enmanuel Reyes Pla will fight for the IBA Pro World Champion title in the -92kg category at the Champions' Night in Havana. In the co-main event, Arlen López of Cuba and Aliaksei Alfiorau of Belarus will meet to decide the IBA Pro World Champion in the 80kg category. Two top titles for a special day.

Umar Kremlev, President of the IBA, said, "Cuba has an unparalleled legendary boxing heritage and we are delighted to host the central celebration of International Boxing Day in Havana. This event is an opportunity to inspire the next generation of boxers around the world and to honour the athletes who have dedicated their lives to the sport. With an impressive fight card, Champions' Night promises to be one of the most inspiring events of the year. There are two titles on the line."

IBA Secretary General and CEO Chris Roberts OBE said he was looking forward to a great event in Havana. He said, "As announced, 2024 is the Year of the Americas and our presence on the continent is key to the success of this project. With such an impressive fight card and the great efforts of the Cuban Boxing Federation, the event promises to be unforgettable,"

The event will also mark the first unified module of the Refereeing and Judging Course. Both the IBA and the WBA will work together on this course for the future. Havana will also be the venue for the next meeting of the IBA Board, which recently held an online session to discuss short, medium and long-term plans for the future. Strategic plans and an initial approach for further development were presented.

International Boxing Day coincides with the 50th anniversary of the first IBA Men's World Boxing Championships. These were held in Havana in 1974.

The President of the Cuban Boxing Federation, Alberto Puig de la Barca, expressed his confidence in the IBA Champions' Night. "I am sure that the 14,000-seat arena will be full because the best boxers in Cuba will be participating in the IBA Champions' Night. The date of this 50th anniversary in the birthplace of the IBA World Championships is significant for us, especially because it will be celebrated in the same place and on the same date", he said.

"To enjoy the joys of International Boxing Day, each boxing club in Cuba will organise some activities. Meanwhile, with Julio La Cruz, the most successful boxer in the world, and Arlen López, the world and double Olympic champion, we are preparing for the two world titles. We hope they will give their best in front of their home crowd," he said.

Boxing in Cuba is one of the country's sporting highlights. The island has produced some of the world's best boxers. Its success at the Olympic Games speaks volumes about its boxing tradition. Cuba has won 72 Olympic medals, 41 of them gold. Until 2022, women's boxing was banned in Cuba. But now it is gaining momentum with ambitions to become as powerful as the men's category.