Amir Khan launches PPB Board to institutionalise sport; Maiden event set for Feb 10
Amir Khan launches PPB Board to institutionalise sport; Maiden event set for Feb 10
By Nawaz Gohar ; Former world champion Amir Khan has officially announced the establishment of the Pakistan Professional Boxing Board (PPBB) during a press conference at the National Press Club in Islamabad. Joined by PPBB leadership—including President Shajjad Khan,
General Secretary Tahir Khan, Legal Affairs Director Sultan Qamar Afzal, and Official & Refereeing Director Syed Kamal Khan—Amir Khan outlined a structured blueprint designed to formalize, standardize, and scale professional boxing across the country. The inaugural professional boxing showcase under the new sanctioning body is scheduled for February 10.
The initiative aims to address the systemic absence of a regulated professional framework in Pakistan. Under the PPBB, boxers, referees, and judges will undergo formal registration, licensing, safety evaluations, and structured training programs aligned with major sanctioning bodies, including the WBC, WBA, IBF, WBO, and the Commonwealth Boxing Council.
Addressing journalists, Amir Khan underscored the acute shortage of modern training centers and equipment in boxing hubs across the nation, pointing specifically to Lyari in Karachi as an untapped source of natural talent. He highlighted how financial instability and the high cost of international competition frequently force top-tier athletes to seek opportunities abroad or represent other countries.
"Pakistani talent is widely recognized in the UK and Western nations, yet domestic athletes lack a transparent and supportive architecture," Khan said. "Many boxers have walked away from the sport due to bad officiating, poor management, and a lack of clear pathways. Our goal is to change that."
Khan urged federal and local authorities to allocate underutilized sports complexes and public land for boxing academies, pledging to fund and equip facilities through private-sector partnerships if the land is made available. He emphasized that the PPBB operates independently of government funding, drawing entirely on private support and corporate sponsorship.
The newly formed board introduces key structural reforms aimed at athlete welfare and regulatory oversight:
Fair Compensation: Boxers will receive guaranteed purses regardless of fight outcomes.
Health & Safety Protocols: Pre-fight medical screenings and strict matchup rules will prevent unbalanced or hazardous bouts. Unauthorized personnel will be prohibited from entering the ring area.
Referee & Judge Accreditation: Mandatory national and international training courses will standardize officiating to ensure transparent, merit-based scoring.
International Record Tracking: Bout outcomes will be integrated into verified global databases to ensure match records are accurate and tamper-proof.
PPBB President Shajjad Khan noted that adopting regulatory models from established international commissions is critical to restoring trust in domestic bouts. General Secretary Tahir Khan added that elevating local technical officials to international assignments remains a core priority, creating long-term career paths for referees and judges beyond national borders.
Online registration is now open via the board’s official platform (Showboxing.com). Applicants will undergo background reviews, medical screening, and technical interviews prior to being granted professional licenses. Following the maiden event in February, the PPBB plans to host a regular calendar of sanctioned events aimed at providing Pakistani boxers with clear domestic pathways to global titles.
