(SEPT 7) News just in from Asia on the forthcoming AIBA Elections which will undoubtedly be watched closely by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in view of their previous concerns regarding the current Interim President, Gafur Rakhimov and his suitability to lead the International Boxing Association (AIBA) in 2019 and thereafter.

The Asian Boxing Confederation confirms that:

“Serik Konakbayev, the current Vice-President of the International Boxing Association (AIBA) and President of the Asian Boxing Federation, today confirmed that he will run for the Presidency of AIBA.

A new President will be elected at the AIBA Congress in early November in Moscow. Each National Federation has one vote.

Kazakhstan-born Konakbayev, an Olympic and World medallist and two time European Elite champion boxing for the former USSR, said he has dedicated his entire conscious life to boxing and has asked for the support of the global boxing fraternity in a letter seen - and Exclusively reported -by the influential “Inside The Games”.

In his communication with the AIBA’s Worldwide Federations he commented:

“To AIBA National Federations.

Dear friends,

As you know, the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation decided to nominate me as the candidate for Presidency in the International Boxing Association (AIBA). It is a great honour and responsibility for me. As a person who has dedicated his conscious life to boxing, I am ready to put all my efforts, experience and knowledge for its further development.

I am convinced that our sport should prosper and take the leading position in the world of sports.

"I am convinced our sport should prosper and take the leading position in the world sports arena."

I ask you to support my candidacy for the post of President of AIBA.

Kind Regards

Serik Konakbayev

AIBA Vice-President

President of the Asian Boxing Federation

The news will one imagines be also welcomed – albeit perhaps not officially – by IOC President Dr Thomas Bach who has previously expressed concerned about the AIBA’s Interim President Rakhimov who remains on the U.S Treasury Dept’s sanctions list. September 23rd is the official closing date for nominations and Rakhimov and now Konakbayev are the only two who have entered the race so far.

"As a former Olympian boxer and acting sports manager, Serik Konakbayev has a programme to further reform amateur boxing, aimed at improving the professional skills of the judiciary, improving qualification of coaches, which will make the boxing spectacular, fair and attractive," the letter from the Kazakhstan Boxing Federation, also seen by insidethegames, reads.

"This programme also provides for the further development of boxing on all continents.

"Dear President, we ask you to support Serik Konakbayev as a candidate for the President of AIBA."

So what do we know about Konakybayev apart from that stated above?

ASBC News profiled his career in 2017 which we quote hereunder so that you, our readers, know more about the man, his aims and ambitions for AIBA Boxing – this thanks to ASBC News:

“1. No Kazakh boxers won the European Championship before Serik Konakbayev. Serik Konakbayev had won the European Championship 1979 in Cologne for the first time for Kazakhs.

2. He has coached six Olympic champions. Legendary Polish coach of XX century Feliks Stamm said after seeing Serik Konakbayev for the first time at the ring: “This boy is going to be genius”.

3. Serik’s father Kerimbek Konakbayev studied at the postgraduate and pursued the science. He is an author of the first schoolbook “Descriptive Geometry” in Kazakh language. He is the Candidate of Science in Engineering.

4. In 1981 World Boxing Federation named Serik Konakbayev the best amateur boxer in the world.

5. In 1984 four Kazakh boxers of the USSR team became champions. They are Serik Konakbayev, Karimzhan Abdrakhmanov, Serik Nurkazov and Asylbek Kilimov. These four Kazakh boxers were meant to participate the Olympic Games in Los-Angeles, USA. Unfortunately USSR sportsmen missed the Olympic games that are held quadrennially due to political reasons. Otherwise Serik Konakbayev could exchange his Moscow’s silver to the gold one.

6. The idol for Serik Konakbayev is the French political and military leader Charles de Gaulle.

7. The iconic Kazakh boxer likes fine literature. He has read foreign and Kazakh classics.

8. The talented champion of Sydney Olympics Bekzat Sattarkhanov took Serik Konakbayev for a model. Bekzat was a little baby when Serik Konakbayev was fighting at Moscow Olympics in 1980. His mother Syrlykul Sattarkhanova dreamt that Bekzat would become the champion as Serik Konakbayev. Later Bekzat fulfilled the dreams of his mother and the whole Kazakh nation proud of him.

9. Serik’s twin brother Yerik Konakbayev. “My mother went to Pavlodar and we together with my brother Yerik came into the world on October 25th”, – said Serik in an interview.

10. Legendary astronaut who was the Head of the Soviet Boxing Federation and the Hero of the Soviet Union Pavel Popovich said: “The movements of Konakbayev at the ring are equal to the space heights. His performance at the ring was the important moment of our sport history. I am proud of Serik as my son”.

11. When Serik Konakbayev was at school he was doing football, athletics and swimming. Famous sportsmen Vakhid Masudov and Anton Shokh were playing football with Serik as youngsters.

12. In 1980-s the glory of Serik Konakbayev made many Kazakh kids to do boxing. Victories at the USSR Championships of 1979-1984, World Championship, European World Championship and Olympic Games were successful for Kazakh boxers. The fact is that Kazakh boxers had won many times at the USSR Championships of during 1979-1991. Serik Nurkazov, Asylbek Kilimov, Karimzhan Abdrakhmanov, Rashid Kabirov, Yerik Kakimov, Beibit Yeszhanov and Bolat Temirov became champions, and Yesbolat Nurymov, Talgat Berdibekov, Kairat Galymtayev and Zhumatai Tusipov became medalists.

13. In those times Western promoters considered Serik Konakbayev as the only boxer who could fight legendary professional boxer Sugar Ray Leonard. They even to arrange the match with great remuneration. But the Soviet Union prohibited him to start professional boxing career overseas.

So there you have it, the latest news in the AIBA race for Presidency and all you’d want to know about Serik Konakbayev.

We will bring you all of the updated news on the AIBA in the months ahead culminating with that Annual Convention in Moscow.