Amateur Boxing Association of England Ltd (ABAE) is the sport’s national governing body. It also represents England as a member of the Amateur International Boxing Association (AIBA) and the European Amateur Boxing Association (EABA).As a national governing body, the ABAE is responsible for all the administration, development and promotion of amateur boxing throughout the Country. ABAE is a non-profit organisation and is thus overseen by a board of directors and a boxing council, who are responsible for all Rules and Regulations within the sport in England.
Boxing in Schools At the beginning of this year,2007, the launch of an initiative to bring boxing back to state schools after being banned for almost 50 years after the anti-boxing lobby got the sport off the PE menu it is back in seven schools in the London borough of Bromley. On of the main reason for the reintroduction of boxing in to schools is to develop young athletes for the 2012 games in London. In schools there is the ABA Kid Gloves programme, a skills-based non-contact form of boxing, together with the Make-The-Weight programme, constituting the ABA contribution to schools PE and health-related fitness. The police have officers linked with every school in the nation; the Schools ABA is working hard to re-establish itself in schools. Both of these organisations would play an important role in the strategic planning and management of the ABA regional development initiatives.
School Boys There are now 2 ‘schoolboy’ championships held each year. Golden Gloves and Golden Belt. A ‘schoolboy’ is aged 11 and since 2004 under the age of 15. Juniors There are 15 different age groups There are 2 National Junior ABA Championships. Junior ABA National title and National Novice Championships, also known as the ‘Golden Belt’. A third junior tournament exists. This is the ‘NYPCC’ organised by the National Association of Young Peoples Clubs of Great Britain. A Junior boxer is under 17 Years.
Senior Many senior champions began their careers as Junior ABA Champions before going onto Senior ABA titles, Commonwealth Games, European Championships, World Games and Olympics. There are 4 national senior championship which are ABA national title, ABA novice (under 20), ABA novice (under 10 bouts) and BUSA. A senior boxer is over 17 years and under 33 years. After 33 years amateur boxers are not allowed to compete in bouts.
ABA National Title The ABA National Championships is the ‘Premier’ tournament hosted annually by the ABA of England. The Championships are ‘open’ class. A boxer who is registered with a club of the ABA of England (aged over 17 years by the 1st October) can enter.
ABA novice (under 20 and 10 bouts) The ‘Novice ABA’s were introduced in 2000 to help senior novice boxers gain valuable competition experience. This covers senior boxers which have less than 10 and 20 bouts. British Universities Sports Association Championships To enter these Championships a boxer must be a registered boxer (to either the English, Welsh, Scottish or Irish ABA) and be full time student at a British University. The Games are in their 11th year.