HCM CITY — The Việt Nam Boxing Federation and Việt Nam Boxing Council signed a contract yesterday in HCM City to professionalise the sport of boxing in the country.

Trần Mạnh Tiến, chairman of the federation, noted that last year Trần Văn Thảo won the Asian boxing belt under 52kg, as well as a gold medal and four silver medals at the Women Asian Boxing Tournament.

Many professional boxing clubs have also been launched in the country.

Thảo, nicknamed the Trigger, was awarded Boxer of the Year for 2017 by the World Boxing Council Asia.

In April last year, the 26-year-old knocked out Artid Bamrungauea of Thailand in Thảo’s 10th professional boxing fight in the Oriental and Pacific Boxing Federation’s super flyweight category in Bangkok.

The agreement signed between the federation and boxing council will pave the way for boxers to be included in an international boxing data system and for clubs to cooperate with international boxing clubs, Tiến said.

The federation will provide certificates to the boxer at boxing clubs and will take part in professional tournaments in and out of the country.

Vikki Dương, a member of the Việt Nam Boxing Council, said that boxers’ participation in tournaments will help them become more professional.

On January 20 in HCM City, the WBA Asia Boxing Title Match 2019 will be held, with male boxers from Uzbekistan, Indonesia, the Philippines, Russia, South Korea and Việt Nam.

Three Vietnamese boxers will take part in the event. The other categories at the event will be the U56kg, U62kg and U65kg rounds.

The event will be held at District 7 Gymnasium. It was organised by the HCM City Boxing Federation, Korean Boxing Federation and Cocky Buffalo Promotion. — VNS