Now, India can have “its own Professional Boxing League”. The Boxing Federation of India has invited bids for grant for “Professional Boxing League” rights.
The BFI president Ajay Singh had announced last year that the “federation will definitely be launching a boxing league in 2017”.
The tender document has been placed on the federation website.
“The Boxing Federation of India invites bids from organizations to hold a 10 year license for running the Indian Boxing League on their behalf. All the interested parties can download the bid document from our website www.boxingfederation.in,” reads the notice inviting tenders.
“All the interested parties may submit their sealed offers by 1500 hours IST on or before 16 August, 2017 in the prescribed format at Boxing Federation of India, 323, Udyog Vihar, Phase-IV, Gurugram, India. The same will be opened at 1600 hours on 16 August, 2017 at the aforesaid office of the Boxing Federation of India.
“Each organization can submit only one bid. For any queries related to the bid, interested parties may please visit the website www.boxingfederation.in or contact the undersigned (Diretor Adminstration, BFI) on any working day between 1100 hours and 1700 hours till the last date of the query, 4th August 2017. All interested parties should regularly visit our website for any update/modification/alteration/change made in the RFP document or any related document as indicated by the Boxing Federation of India (BFI) from time to time,” the notice further states.
Even as the federation is the official governing body of sport in the country, it does not control the “professional boxers”, who have been participating in various competitions and events.
Professional boxing in the country is on the rise. Indian-origin British businessman Bill Dosanjh and Olympic champion Amir Khan are currently running the eight-team Super Boxing League in India with the matches spread over the weekends.
However, the national body is equipped to allow the participation of the registered amateurs boxers in the league, which will be played under professional rules. This move will pave the way for the likes of Shiva Thapa, Mary Kom, Vikash Krishnan to participate in the proposed professional league and still continue to nurture their Olympic hopes as amateurs.
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