Boxing at the 2020 Summer Olympics
Boxing at the 2020 Tokyo Olympics featured 13 events.
The boxing events at the 2020 Summer Olympics were held from 24 July to 8 August 2021 at the Ryōgoku Kokugikan. There were 13 weight classes in total, matching the number used in both the 2012 London and 2016 Rio de Janeiro Games. For the first time since London, the event lineup changed: two men’s categories were dropped, and two women’s categories were added.
On 22 May 2019, the International Olympic Committee (IOC) removed the International Boxing Association (AIBA) from organizing the tournament, citing problems with finances, governance, ethics, and refereeing and judging. An ad-hoc task force led by Morinari Watanabe, president of the International Gymnastics Federation, took over.
The competition format had been overhauled by the AIBA on 23 March 2013. The World Series of Boxing, a professional team league launched in 2010, already allowed its members to keep their Olympic eligibility for 2012. A newer AIBA Pro Boxing Tournament, featuring professionals who signed five-year contracts and fought on pro cards before the event, also let new pros stay eligible while maintaining ties to their national committees. The removal of headgear and the switch to the “10-point must” scoring system further blurred the line between amateur and professional boxing.
Men’s weight classes were cut from ten to eight. A featherweight division was introduced, while light-flyweight (first used in 1968), bantamweight (present at every Olympics since 1904 except 1912, when boxing was not held), and light-welterweight (added in 1952) were removed. Women’s weight classes grew from three to five, adding featherweight and welterweight. The IOC confirmed the weight limits for all 13 classes on 19 June 2019.
Men competed in: flyweight (52 kg), featherweight (57 kg), lightweight (63 kg), welterweight (69 kg), middleweight (75 kg), light heavyweight (81 kg), heavyweight (91 kg), and super heavyweight (+91 kg). Women competed in: flyweight (51 kg), featherweight (57 kg), lightweight (60 kg), welterweight (69 kg), and middleweight (75 kg).
Each National Olympic Committee could enter at most one athlete per event. Six spots (four men, two women) were reserved for host nation Japan, and eight more (five men, three women) were given to the Tripartite Invitation Commission.
Quick Facts
- Event
- Boxing
- Games
- 2020 Summer
- Venue
- Ryōgoku Kokugikan
- Dates
- 24 July – 8 August 2021
- Competitors
- 289
- Nations
- 81
- Num Events
- 13
- Prev
- 2016
- Next
- 2024
Facts from the source article.
Lore & Background
On 22 May 2019, the International Olympic Committee announced that the International Boxing Association had been stripped of the right to organise the tournament due to issues in finance, governance, ethics, and refereeing and judging. Boxing was instead organised by an ad-hoc task force led by Morinari Watanabe, president of the International Gymnastics Federation. The number of weight classes for men was reduced from ten to eight, with a featherweight class introduced and events at light-flyweight, bantamweight, and light-welterweight removed. The women's weight classes saw a corresponding increase from three to five, with featherweight and welterweight categories introduced. The IOC confirmed weight limits for all 13 classes on 19 June 2019.
Reader's Guide
The 2020 Summer Olympics boxing tournament marked a significant shift in Olympic boxing governance, as the International Boxing Association was stripped of its organising role due to longstanding issues. The programme update, the first since London 2012, balanced gender representation by reducing men's events by two and increasing women's events by two, resulting in eight men's and five women's weight classes. The competition format had been altered years earlier, with the elimination of headgear and adoption of the 10-point must scoring system. Qualifying was affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, which delayed several events and led to the cancellation of the Americas Qualification Event and World Olympic Qualification Event in 2021. The tournament ultimately proceeded under an IOC task force, preserving boxing's place in the Olympic programme despite administrative turmoil.
Did You Know?
- The International Boxing Association was stripped of the right to organise the tournament on 22 May 2019.
- The number of men's weight classes was reduced from ten to eight, and women's increased from three to five.
- The Americas Qualification Event and World Olympic Qualification Event were cancelled in 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
More in Boxing at the Summer Olympics 1-24
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