Commonwealth Games – less than 10 days to the start

July 19th, 2022 / Commonwealth Games 2022

The final countdown has begun, with less than 10 days left until the start of the Commonwealth Games which opens in Birmingham, England on July 28. The boxing event of the Commonwealth Games contains a high number of stars from top nations such as England, India, Northern Ireland, Wales, Scotland, Australia, Canada, New Zealand, Namibia, Zambia, Ghana, Mauritius, Kenya and others.

The Commonwealth Games will be one of the top highlights of the upcoming period and all of the boxers are ready to show their skills in the boxing event. A number of national teams are finalizing their preparations in Northern Ireland and in England to acclimatize to the local environment.

The first competition day of the Commonwealth Games will be July 29 when the Round of 32 bouts are on the official schedule. After the rest day, the semi-finals will take place on August 6 and all of the 16 finals on August 7. The venue of the boxing event is the National Exhibition Centre Precinct (NEC) – Hall 4 (NC4) where 16 champions will secure their gold medals.

Six women categories have been selected to the official program of the Commonwealth Games: minimumweight (48kg), light flyweight (50kg), featherweight (57kg), lightweight (60kg), light middleweight (70kg) and middleweight (75kg). The male boxers will compete in the Games in 10 different weight categories. Excluding the minimumweight (48kg), lightweight (60kg) and cruiserweight (86kg), the other ten official IBA male divisions are in the program of the event.

The first edition of the Commonwealth Games was held in Hamilton, Canada under the name of the British Empire Games in 1930. Boxing was part of the program and the gold medals were shared between England, South Africa and Scotland.

England is the most successful nation with 60 gold medals in the overall rankings ahead of Canada, Australia, Scotland, South Africa, Northern Ireland, Nigeria, Kenya, Ghana and India. Altogether 24 nations have earned at least one title in the boxing events of the Commonwealth Games and 39 countries are in the overall medal table.

England has been the best boxing nation in the Commonwealth Games eight times in the 21 editions between 1930 and 2018. Their boxers topped the team rankings in 1930, 1934, 1950, 1974, 1998, 2006, 2014, and in the last 2018 edition in Gold Coast. South Africa and Kenya have both topped the medal standings three times, and Ghana and Canada twice. Uganda, Australia and Northern Ireland have been the best teams of the boxing events once.

Sixteen boxers earned their gold medals in the last edition of the Commonwealth Games in the Gold Coast, Australia in April 2018. New Zealand’s star David Nyika became the only boxer to defend his throne following his first gold medal in Glasgow four years ago. Altogether 217 competitors from 48 nations attended the boxing tournament of the Commonwealth Games making our sport one of the most exciting ones in the Gold Coast.

England topped the team rankings of the boxing tournament with their six gold medals in the Gold Coast. India was the runner-up in the 2018 Commonwealth Games where their boxers claimed three medals from each podium place. Host of the Commonwealth Games, Australia also won three gold medals and finished third in the ranking of the nations.

England will compete in the Commonwealth Games with 14 boxers including the new EUBC European Champion, Mohammed Harris Akbar. Northern Ireland will participate with 13 boxers in Birmingham. Another strong boxing power, India is aiming for the top of the medal standings and 12 of their stars will be there in the Commonwealth Games. The Chairwoman of the IBA Athletes’ Committee Ms. Lovlina Borgohain will be one of the favourites in the women’s light middleweight (70kg) category.

Australia has selected 11 strong boxers including IBA officials Kristy Harris and Caitlin Parker, as well as several other experienced athletes. Ghana and Wales will compete with nine boxers, and Scotland and New Zealand have both registered eight athletes. New Zealand’s two-time champion David Nyika suffered a hand injury just before the start and he is unable to chase for a historic third title. Several of the African nations such as Namibia, Zambia, Nigeria, Kenya, Botswana and Mauritius also have strong potential in the boxing venue.

The weight categories of the Commonwealth Games

Women’s: 48kg, 50kg, 57kg, 60kg, 70kg, and 75kg

Men’s: 51kg, 54kg, 57kg, 63.5kg, 67kg, 71kg, 75kg, 80kg, 92kg, and +92kg

The schedule of the Commonwealth Games

July 27 – Sport Entries Check

July 27, 16:30 – Technical Meeting

July 27, 17:45 – Official Draw

July 28 – Opening Ceremony

July 29, 12:00 & 18:30 – Day1 competition

July 30, 12:00 & 18:30 – Day2 competition

July 31, 12:00 & 18:30 – Day3 competition

August 1, 12:00 & 18:30 – Day4 competition