2025 IBA World Boxing Championship set to become most lucrative in history

IBA World Boxing Championship

December 2-13. Dubai, UAE

The 2025 International Boxing Association (IBA) World Boxing Championship is poised to cement its status as one of the most lucrative global sporting events, with a staggering USD 8.32 million in prize money at stake.

The 23rd edition of the IBA Men’s World Championship will run from December 2–13 at the iconic Dubai Tennis Stadium in the United Arab Emirates.

More than 92 countries have confirmed participation, including Uganda, which will be represented by seven boxers led by light welterweight Farahat “The Nightmare” Manirola, welterweight Bob Turyatemba, and featherweight Baker Malindi, among others.

Unlike major events such as the Olympic Games that emphasize prestige and medals, the 2025 World Boxing Championship is unapologetically a financial powerhouse. Russian energy giant Gazprom, one of IBA’s official partners, has committed the entire USD 8.32 million (UGX 29.95 billion) solely to prize money.

Adding glamour to the championship, American rapper Rick Ross and Italian vocal sensation Benedetta Caretta will headline the entertainment lineup, while former four-division world champion Roy Jones Jr. will appear as a special guest.

The prize structure highlights the unprecedented scale of the event. Each gold medalist will walk away with USD 300,000 (sh1.08 billion), while silver medalists will earn USD 150,000 (sh540 million). Bronze medalists are set to receive USD 75,000 (sh270 million), and in a surprising twist, even boxers finishing fifth in their weight category will pocket USD 100,000 (sh360 million).

With such hefty rewards, the world’s top boxers have flocked to Dubai, eager for both glory and cash. Under IBA’s prize distribution model, winners retain half of their prize money, while the remaining 50 percent is shared equally between their national federation and ringside coaches.

IBA president Umar Kremlev, a relative of Russian President Vladimir Putin, described this year’s championship as more than just a competition. “This World Championships is not just about records and prize money but rather giving every boxer, every coach, and every National Federation the respect and reward they deserve,” Kremlev noted.

The big question remains: can Uganda or Africa at large, break into the lucrative bracket? It has been a decade since an African boxer last won gold at the World Championships, with Morocco’s Mohammed Rabii claiming the continent’s most recent title in 2015 in Qatar. Cameroon’s Australia-based Fokou Fosso was the last African to win any medal, securing bronze at the 2017 edition in Hamburg, Germany.

Uganda’s trio of Muzamir Kakande (welterweight), Geoffrey Kakeeto (featherweight), and David Ayiti (heavyweight) were all eliminated in their opening bouts in Hamburg. Historically, only six African nations—Uganda, Kenya, Nigeria, Morocco, Ghana, and Cameroon, have ever won gold at the World Championships. Uganda’s sole gold medal came during the inaugural edition in Havana, Cuba, courtesy of welterweight Ayub Kalule, while Joseph Nsubuga added a bronze in the light middleweight category.