DUBAI: Dubai hosts the 2025 IBA Men’s Elite World Championships from Dec. 2–13, part of a landmark two-week “Festival of Boxing” announced by the International Boxing Association.

The tournament, to be held at Dubai Tennis Stadium, will welcome top male fighters from around the world competing for an $8 million prize pool, the richest in the sport’s history. Each weight-class champion will receive $300,000, with significant rewards for all medalists down to fifth-place finishers.

The prize fund forms part of the IBA’s President Umar Kremlev’s drive to strengthen investment in global boxing and support athletes, coaches and national federations. Under the distribution model, 50 percent of each payout goes to the boxer, 25 percent to coaches, and 25 percent to the athlete’s national federation.

Kremlev said: “This World Championships is not just about records and prize money — it is about giving every boxer, every coach and every national federation the respect and reward they deserve.

“Dubai will become the capital of boxing this December … The ‘Festival of Boxing’ will be remembered as the moment when our sport reached a new level.”

Founded more than 75 years ago, the IBA says the World Championships reflect its continued commitment to developing elite-level boxing while preserving the sport’s heritage. Fighters from across the globe are expected to take part in what organizers describe as a celebration of “unity, skill and equality.”

Chris Roberts, the IBA’s secretary-general and CEO, said the Dubai event will showcase the “full spectrum” of the sport, with the World Championships accompanied by the IBA Global Boxing Forum: an IBA pro event and the organization’s annual congress.

Roberts said: “(The) IBA is not just an organization; it is a philosophy — a global movement that champions excellence, innovation and unity in boxing.”

The “Festival of Boxing” is set to transform Dubai into the sport’s global hub for two weeks, offering world-class competition alongside fan-focused events.

Fans and media are invited to attend what officials say will be a defining moment for international boxing as the world’s top athletes compete for global titles — and life-changing rewards.