The IOC is focusing on gender parity in boxing for the 2028 Olympic Games in Los Angeles. The boxers will fight in seven weight classes each for the first time.
The International Olympic Committee (IOC) has confirmed the weight classes and quota places for the boxing competitions at the Los Angeles 2028 Olympic Games (LA28). There is now complete parity between men and women in the limits.
Women receive additional weight class
This means that there will be seven weight classes for men and women, each of which will have an equal share of the 248 quota places for the boxing competition (124 each). The parity in the weight classes means that an additional weight class will be added for women from Paris 2024. Until now, there have been seven classes for men (125 quota places) and six for women (124 quota places).
At its meeting on March 20, 2025 , the IOC decided to reinstate boxing in the sports program of the 2028 Games. The competition and qualification pathway will be managed by World Boxing. In February, the IOC granted it provisional recognition as the international federation for boxing within the Olympic Movement.
The weight classes in boxing for LA28 are:
Milestone for sport
The President of World Boxing, Boris van der Vorst, said: “Boxing is an inclusive sport that is open to all. We welcome the IOC’s decision to keep the number of weight classes equal for men and women in LA28.” This is a significant milestone for the sport and a sign of the huge progress made in women’s boxing. Women’s boxing was included in the Olympic program for the first time in London 2012 with three limits.
“World Boxing is committed to playing a positive role in the Olympic Movement,” explained van der Vorst. “We look forward to working closely with the IOC to deliver a boxing competition that will be a fantastic platform for our male and female competitors and showcase all that is great about our sport.”
Text: Press release / World Boxing