Commonwealth Boxing Council

The Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC) is a governing body that sanctions professional boxing bouts for territories within the Commonwealth, and is an affiliate of the WBC.[1][2]

Commonwealth Boxing Council
AbbreviationCBC
Formation
1954; 70 years ago (1954) (as The Empire and Commonwealth Championships Committee)

1997; 27 years ago (1997) (as Commonwealth Boxing Council)

TypeNon-profit institution
PurposeBoxing sanctioning organisation
Region served
Commonwealth
President
Frederick Stirrup JP
Affiliations
Websitewww.commbc.com

History

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The Commonwealth Boxing Council first started in 1954 as the Empire and Commonwealth Championships Committee, formed by the British Boxing Board of Control,[3] to officially award a Commonwealth title. Before its formation, boxers from select territories within the British Empire fought for the 'Empire title',[4][5][6] the first of such titles being awarded to British featherweight champion Jim Driscoll in 1908 after defeating Australian Charlie Griffin on points.[7][8] In 1972, the Empire and Commonwealth Championships Committee was re-organised as the 'Commonwealth Championships Committee'. In 1997 the organisation was incorporated as a separate entity from the British Boxing Board of Control and renamed the Commonwealth Boxing Council.[9]

In 2018, the first female version of the Commonwealth title was awarded to Anisha Basheel of Malawi on 15 June.[10]

On 12 June 2023, a new championship, the Commonwealth “Silver” title, was created. This title works similarly to the British Boxing Board of Control English title, with the holders of both belts being subject to consideration of becoming mandatory challenger for the British and Commonwealth titles, as well as being fought for over 10 rounds.[11] Mark Jeffers became the first fighter to win a Commonwealth Silver title when he defeated English super middleweight champion Zak Chelli in July 2023, while Jack Rafferty became the first fighter to have held both Commonwealth Silver and Commonwealth titles when he won the latter at super-lightweight in December 2023

Current champions

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Male

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Weight class: Champion: Reign began:
Heavyweight Fabio Wardley 28 October 2023
Cruiserweight Jack Massey 15 June 2024
Light-heavyweight Lewis Edmondson 19 October 2024
Super-middleweight Callum Simpson 3 August 2024
Middleweight Hamzah Sheeraz 26 November 2022
Super-welterweight Sam Gilley 21 October 2023
Welterweight Harry Scarff 18 November 2023
Super-lightweight Jack Rafferty 16 December 2023
Lightweight Sam Noakes 26 November 2022
Super-featherweight Reece Bellotti 21 October 2023
Featherweight Masood Abdulah 6th September 2024
Super-bantamweight Dennis McCann 26 November 2022
Bantamweight Andrew Cain 20 July 2024
Super-flyweight Ryan Farrag 21 June 2024
Flyweight Conner Kelsall 28 June 2024
Light-flyweight Craig Derbyshire 8 December 2023

Female

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Weight class: Champion: Reign began:
Super-welterweight vacant
Welterweight vacant
Super-lightweight Sarah Achieng 16 December 2022
Lightweight vacant
Super-featherweight Kirsty Hill 15 September 2023
Featherweight Amy Andrew 27 April 2024
Super-bantamweight Tysie Gallagher 14 April 2023
Bantamweight Johanna Wonyou 12 March 2023
Super-flyweight Emma Dolan 25 March 2023
Flyweight Nicola Hopewell 20 April 2024
Light-flyweight vacant

Member organisations

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  • Ghana Boxing Authority
  • Kenya Professional Boxing
  • Professional Boxing Control Board (Namibia)
  • Nigeria Boxing Board of Control
  • Boxing South Africa
  • Uganda Professional Boxing Commission
  • Tanzania Professional Boxing
  • Zambia Professional Boxing and Wrestling Control Board
  • Indian Boxing Council
  • Australian National Boxing Federation
  • New Zealand Professional Boxing Association
  • Bahamas Boxing Commission
  • Professional Boxing Association (Barbados)
  • Guyana Boxing Board of Control
  • Jamaica Boxing Board of Control
  • Trinidad and Tobago Boxing Board
  • British Boxing Board of Control
  • National Championships Committee (Canada)

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Commonwealth boxing body, WBC now formally affiliated". The Nassau Guardian. 2017-10-10. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  2. ^ "World Boxing Council - BoxRec". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  3. ^ Contributor (2019-10-28). "Commonwealth Boxing appoint first woman secretary after WBC switch". Sky-News. Retrieved 2019-11-10. {{cite web}}: |last= has generic name (help)
  4. ^ "From the Archives: the Boxing Championship of the British Empire programme, 1948 | Royal Albert Hall". Royal Albert Hall. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  5. ^ "Joe Bygraves". The Times. 2012-03-28. ISSN 0140-0460. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  6. ^ "Dai Dower, champion flyweight boxer – obituary". www.telegraph.co.uk. Retrieved 2019-11-10.
  7. ^ "Cyber Boxing Zone -- Jem Driscoll". www.cyberboxingzone.com. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  8. ^ "BoxRec: Title". boxrec.com. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  9. ^ "CBC - A HISTORY | COMMONWEALTH BOXING COUNCIL". commbc.com. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  10. ^ "Commonwealth Boxing Council (UK) Sanctions it's [sic] First Female Championship – Women of Boxing". 23 August 2019. Retrieved 2019-11-08.
  11. ^ "INTRODUCING COMMONWEALTH SILVER CHAMPIONSHIPS | COMMONWEALTH BOXING COUNCIL". commbc.com. Retrieved 2023-12-16.