02-06-2007:A lot of progress was made during the 24th annual IBF/USBA Convention, held at the Deauville Beach Resort in Miami Beach, FL, last week. The annual event concluded with its "Old Business" session on Saturday with President Marian Muhammad again reiterating her gratefulness for the strong support shown by its membership, evident by the many delegates who came from all over the world. The session was preceded by the Annual Banquet, which took place at the resort the previous evening with approximately 400 guests in attendance.

     During the gala, Championships Chairman Lindsey Tucker had the honor of presenting the organization's 2006 IBF/USBA Awards. The Jersey Joe Walcott Award went to IBF Flyweight Champion Vic Darchinyan, who also received a beautiful IBF Championship Ring for having defended his world title at least three times. The award for Most Title Defenses went to Arthur Abraham (IBF), Demetrius Hopkins (USBA), Lubos Suda (Inter-Continental), and Fashung 3K Battery (Pan Pacific). Most Active Promoter went to Don King Productions (IBF), Golden Boy Promotions (USBA), OK-KO Promotions (Inter-Continental), and Jimmy Chaichotchuang (Pan Pacific). The Fight of the Year Award went to Arthur Abraham vs. Edison Miranda Middleweight Title bout (IBF), Rogers Mtagwa vs. Martin Honorio (USBA), Lubos Suda vs. Ismail Abdul (Inter-Continental), and Shane Cameron vs. Roger Izonritei (Pan Pacific). The IBF also awarded Light Heavyweight Champion Clinton Woods with a Championship Ring for defending his world title at least three times.

     President Marian Muhammad was proud to announce six scholarships winners during the General Session on Thursday. Receiving $3,000 toward college tuition were Kason Cheeks, Kevin T. Parish, Nykita Doggette, Hannah Nelson, Carlan Burke and Serena Frederick. Ms. Muhammad informed those in attendance that in addition to the scholarships the SARB and Educational Fund made numerous contributions during the past year to community, amateur boxing, Newark Board of Education Homeless Children Unit, civic and religious organizations since the last convention. SARB also donated a sweat suit to a soldier in the Middle East in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom, and pledged a donation for the rehabilitation of former world champion Victor Burgos, who collapsed with a subdural hematoma during his title bout against Vic Darchinyan earlier this year.

     Two board members were reelected during the week. Aaron Kizer (Arizona), and Ray Wheatley (Australia) will serve on the IBF's Board of Directors for an additional three-year term, while former board member Lou Priluker (PA) won the seat left vacant by Valerie Dorsett's (NC) resignation from the board. He will also serve on the board for the next three years. Kizer has promised to spearhead the IBF's efforts to establish a strong presence in all of Latin America, while Wheatley will continue to build an even stronger IBF presence in Australia and the Pacific. In addition to Kizer, Dorsett and Wheatley, board members David McCullough (TX), Hiawatha Knight (MI), Al Meier (Iowa) and Joe Azzone (MN) gave their annual report to the membership.

      Ratings Chairman Daryl J. Peoples conducted his yearly Ratings Meeting on Friday with the various promoters in attendance. Present at the meeting were representatives of Main Events, K2 Promotions, Don King Productions, Golden Gloves, Jimmy Boxing, Sauerland Event, Warriors Boxing, Main Events and One More Round. Peoples also unveiled new changes to the ratings criteria.

New Jersey State Athletic Commissioner and one of the best known referees of his generation, Larry Hazzard, Sr. conducted a very informative and entertaining Referees seminar, urging those referees in attendance to "know your ring rules and regulations." He stressed the importance of being a "real pro ref" and not the "Prima Donna Ref" or worse, the "TV Ref" who plays to the camera. During his seminar, Mr. Hazzard demonstrated the use of various techniques that would turn a good referee into an excellent one, such as the right way of breaking clinches, delivering strong verbal commands, issuing warnings, observations during rest periods, observing ring environment during and before bouts, and overall general ring mechanics. Two amateur boxers from a nearby gym were used as models during Mr. Hazzard's seminar.

     Melvina Lathan (NY), along with Steve Weisfeld (NJ) and Michael Pernick (FL) also conducted a very informative seminar. Their colorful presentation included footage of old bouts, with each judge in attendance observing rounds of bouts without sound, and then submitting their scores. Ms. Lathan stressed the importance being prepared both mentally and physically to judge a bout, and to refrain from creating a new routine the day of the bout. She also gave her "so what" list, which included advice to ignore such factors as who the champion or underdog is, a boxer looking unorthodox, a boxer being or looking tired, and also recommended not to "dumb down your score to make the [home] crowd happy."

      World-renown ringside physicians Paul Wallace, William Lathan and Barry Jordan handled the Medical Seminar. Among the topics were the importance of determining and recognizing traumatic brain injury or concussion in the ring, weight loss and dehydration, Chronic Traumatic Brain Injury (CTBI) or cumulative effects of boxing, and when to retire. The doctors lectured about the signs associated with brain injury in the ring such as loss of motor control, lack of interaction with the corner, walking to the wrong corner, bizarre behavior and slowed reactions. The panel, warning that 20% of boxers will exhibit signs of CTBI during or after their ring careers are over, also outlined the signs of the condition. The doctors discussed the putative risk factors in boxing such as increased exposure (late age of retirement, long duration of career, increasing number of bouts) and poor performance. The panel concluded that medical safety in boxing requires collaboration from the entire boxing community, including the commissions, sanctioning bodies, trainers, promoters and matchmakers, and the boxers themselves.

      During the "Old Business" session on Saturday, President Muhammad announced that Germany will be "Plan A" for the 2008 Annual Convention, with Memphis, Panama or the Dominican Republic as alternate locations. "It's been more than 24 years since the IBF was founded," said Ms. Muhammad. "It is only appropriate, being a sanctioning organization that crowns world champions, that we begin to hold our annual convention in other parts of the world outside of North America and the Caribbean." Representatives from Germany have promised to assist the IBF in making this a reality for next year.