March 14, 2023:
The Boxing Federation of India (BFI) on Monday unveiled India’s leading SUV manufacturer, Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd as the title sponsor for the championships while legendary MC Mary Kom and Bollywood star Farhan Akhtar were announced as the brand ambassadors of the IBA Women’s World Championships scheduled from March 15 to 26 at the Indira Gandhi Sports Complex in New Delhi.
India is hosting the event for the third time in history and the country is set to be gripped by boxing fever as several top-notch pugilists are headlining the championships.
BFI president Ajay Singh said: “We are delighted to welcome Mahindra Automotive as our lead sponsor. BFI and Mahindra share a common vision of women empowerment through sport and I am happy to see them as our partner in this mission. And the presence of Mary Kom and Farhan Akhtar as the brand ambassadors for the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships will add immense value to our mission of encouraging women participation in boxing.”
“Mary Kom is a legend of our sport and Farhan Akhtar is a Bollywood icon who has made several inspiring sports movies including one about boxing. The association with these two youth icons will enhance the prestige of this World Championship and help in promoting the sport across the country. The event will also help showcase to the world India’s potential as a host for big global tournaments.”
Mary Kom, a bronze medallist in the London Olympics, is the most decorated boxer in the history of Women’s World Championships, having clinched the title six times along with a silver and bronze.
“India is hosting the World Championships for the third time and it is a special and rare honour. It will underline India’s strength as a sporting nation in front of a global audience. I am delighted to be a part of this tournament and I am certain that this will be a golden page in India’s sporting history,” said Mary Kom.
A biopic depicting Mary Kom’s journey in 2014 put boxing on a big screen and also encouraged country’s women to take up boxing. On the other hand, Farhan Akhtar – a passionate sports lover, also popular for his lead roles in Bhaag Milkha Bhaag and Toofaan, which showcased the journey of a boxer.
During the event, Farhan will engage with the boxers and will spread the excitement of the tournament through his social media handles too.
A total of 350 plus boxers from 74 countries have registered so far for the biennial event which has a prize pool of INR 20 crore for the very first time.
