Ed’s smiling in heaven
By Joaquin Henson
PhilBoxing.com
Sun, 19 Jan 2025
Ed Picson.
For over 10 years, the late Ed Picson battled the big wigs of the International Boxing Association (IBA) in a fight to restore integrity in the amateur fight game. He was the lone Asian voice in rattling the saber and those who feared the backlash from IBA’s Russian president Umar Kremlev quietly stood at the sidelines.
Picson joined ABAP as secretary-general in 2009, later to become executive director and in 2021, president. He stood by the country’s amateur fighters through thin and thick, selflessly devoting himself to protect their rights in the face of prejudice, unfair judging and corruption. When IOC suspended IBA as its international federation affiliate in 2019, disgruntled member nations began to stoke the fires of cessation. Picson was in the middle of the “rebellion” that led to the formation of World Boxing in April 2023. Less than a week after World Boxing was organized, Picson passed away. But by then, his wife Karina, a well-respected IBA technical delegate, had joined the cause and was later named to the interim World Boxing executive board. The Philippines wasn’t a founding charter member of World Boxing as Picson diplomatically steered ABAP away from IBA’s wrath at the onset. But it was just a matter of time before the Philippines became World Boxing’s first Asian member and eventually, ABAP chairman Ricky Vargas was voted to the fledgling federation’s Executive Board.
From an initial membership of six countries, World Boxing has grown to 60, covering five continents and bringing together major forces throughout the globe in seeking IOC recognition to restore boxing in the 2028 LA Olympic calendar. IOC had supervised the sport in Tokyo and Paris but will no longer take an active role in 2028. IOC, however, left the door open for reinstatement on condition a new federation emerges to satisfy the requirements for recognition.
Recently appointed chair of an Olympic Commission by World Boxing to spearhead efforts in bringing back the sport in LA was former multiple world middleweight boxing champion Gennady Gennadyevich Golovkin, known as Triple G. Golovkin, 42, was appointed Kazakhstan’s National Olympic Committee president last year and won a silver medal at the 2004 Olympics. His pro record was 42-2-1 with 37 KOs. His only losses were to Canelo Alvarez twice on points.
“For me personally as well as for all the sports world, it is important to preserve boxing as an Olympic sport and this will be my top priority,” said Triple G. “I intend to work closely with IOC on issues of boxing’s commitment to the Olympic values of honesty, fairness and transparency. I am confident that my experience as a professional athlete will help build systemic work within World Boxing and through joint efforts, we will be able to give boxing a new impetus to its development but there is much to be done.” World Boxing president Boris van der Vorst has announced that the organization’s first World Championships will be held in Liverpool on Sept. 4-14. Picson must be smiling broadly up in heaven.
Click here to view a list of other articles written by Joaquin Henson.
Recent PhilBoxing.com In-House articles:
“Thrilla” card takes shape
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 18 Sep 2025Wishing Best to Jayson Vayson in his World Title Challenge!
By Carlos Costa, Thu, 18 Sep 2025Vayson aims to make history
By Joaquin Henson, Thu, 18 Sep 2025KAIPO GALLEGOS TRAINING CAMP NOTES
Thu, 18 Sep 2025Day Two of 2025 USA Boxing National Open Delivers 108 Action-Packed Bouts in Tulsa
Thu, 18 Sep 2025Bryce Mills Boxes James Bernadin At del Lago Resort & Casino On Thursday, Oct. 30, in Waterloo, NY
Thu, 18 Sep 2025Caribbean Clash Returns Friday, November 7th at Gulfstream Park Casino in Hallandale, Florida
Thu, 18 Sep 2025VM Sotto, City Council Recognize GM Joey Antonio
By Marlon Bernardino, Thu, 18 Sep 2025Larida is Southern Coach of the Year
By Lito delos Reyes, Thu, 18 Sep 2025D.C. Knockout Artist Scooter Davis Signs Promotional Contract with Top Rank
Thu, 18 Sep 2025THE PAST WEEK IN ACTION 15 SEPTEMBER 2025: Crawford Snatches Canelo's Undisputed Crown at 168 Lbs; Inoue Defeats Akhmadliev to Retain 4 Superbantam Belts; Crocker Outpoints Donovan
By Eric Armit, Wed, 17 Sep 2025TICKET NEWS: EUBANK JR-BENN II ON SALE FROM THIS WEDNESDAY
Wed, 17 Sep 2025“Night of Champions” Returns to Caribe Royale Resort in Orlando on September 19
Wed, 17 Sep 2025Canelo-Crawford: The Consolidation of Boxing’s New Commercial Empire
By Gabriel F. Cordero, Wed, 17 Sep 2025A New Era for Boxing: Canelo vs. Crawford Shatters Global Viewership Records on Netflix
By Dong Secuya, Wed, 17 Sep 2025