(From Dr. Lim Song, President of Vietnam Boxing Organization)

I am thrilled to announce a major milestone for the combat sports market in Vietnam: The IBF will officially host its 2026 Annual Convention here.

This convention is more than just an event; it is a global gathering of top referees, judges, champions, medical experts, promoters, and media. For Vietnam, hosting this event acts as a catalyst for the boxing industry, driving socio-economic development and offering our local talent life-changing networking opportunities.

The Backstory: From "Not on the List" to "Host Country". At the start of 2025, Vietnam wasn’t on the IBF’s radar. As a representative of the VBO, I flew to the convention in Atlantic City with a single mission: to pitch Vietnam to the IBF leadership.

I want to thank Mr. Daryl Peoples (President of IBF) and Ms. Jeanette Salazar (Director of PR) in trusting in the potential of Vietnam.

It took months of negotiation, site visits, and showcasing our nation's potential to convince them. The effort to secure this bid was immense, but the reward is historic: This will be the first time the IBF Convention is held in Southeast Asia.

Looking Ahead Securing the bid was step one. Executing a world-class event is step two. We are grateful for the incredible support of The Grand Ho Tram, but there is still work to be done to cover the significant costs and logistics involved.

We have met with the government representatives in HCMC and Hanoi and they are fully supportive.  We have also dispatched official invitations to local boxing federations.

I sincerely hope all individuals and organizations in Vietnam will seize this opportunity to help grow the sport we love. We are open to all forms of collaboration and sponsorship to make this event a resounding success.

#IBF #InternationalBoxingFederation #vietnamboxing #boxing #ibfannualconvention #GrandHoTram

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