Morocco’s AFBC champion Mohammed Rabii.
By Sports Reporter/Doha
Morocco’s AFBC champion Mohammed Rabii was named WSB’s boxer of the year on Tuesday night after an undefeated season which he will be looking to round off with an AIBA World Boxing Championship gold today evening against Daniyar Yeleussinov of Kazakhstan.
Other award winners included Cuba’s Julio La Cruz, who was crowned Boxer of the Year after a phenomenal 2015 that saw him win both the World Series of Boxing and the PanAmerican Games. The light heavyweight could still add world championship to the list when he faces Ireland’s Joe Ward tonight in the final in Doha.
Yousuf Ali al-Kazim, president of the Qatar Boxing Federation and executive director of the LOC in association with Qatar Olympic Committee, was also given an award for his hard work in bringing world boxing’s signature event to the Middle East for the first time. The award was handed over by AIBA president Dr Ching-Kuo Wu.
Shortly after, al-Kazim gave out an award to Dr Wu for the guidance and support from AIBA throughout the World Boxing Championships in Doha, while boxing legend Amir Khan also was given an award for his long-standing contribution to the sport of boxing.
“It’s always nice to recognize the fine athletes that grace this wonderful sport, and I found it particularly touching to see an Arab boxer winning one of the most prestigious awards of the night. AIBA has done a tremendous job in uniting the global boxing sport, and award ceremonies such as this is a fabulous way to encourage athletes, coaches and technical officials to keep improving and developing,” al-Kazim said.
