Women's World Boxing Championships get new brand ambassadors - Mary Kom, Farhan Akhtar
Women's World Boxing Championships get new brand ambassadors - Mary Kom, Farhan Akhtar (image credits google)

New Delhi, India: The IBA Women’s World Championships, taking place in New Delhi from March 15 to 26, have given Farhan Akhtar and legendary MC Mary Kom as their brand ambassadors, according to the Boxing Federation of India (BFI), which also announced Mahindra & Mahindra Ltd as the title sponsor on Monday.

For the third time ever, India will serve as the host nation, and with a number of top-tier fighters scheduled to headline the championships, the nation is expected to experience a severe case of boxing fever.

“We are pleased to welcome Mahindra Automotive as our primary sponsor. I’m pleased to have BFI and Mahindra as our partners in this endeavour since they both share the same objective of women’s emancipation through sport. Also, Mary Kom and Farhan Akhtar serving as the IBA Women’s World Boxing Championships’ brand ambassadors will be a huge asset to our aim of promoting female boxing participation,” BFI President Ajay Singh stated.

Mary Kom is a legendary athlete in our sport, and Farhan Akhtar is a Bollywood great who has produced a number of motivational sports films, including one about boxing. The partnership with these two young idols will raise the calibre of this World Championship and aid in spreading the word about the sport throughout the nation. Also, the event will serve as a showcase for India’s ability to hold significant international competitions.

Mary Kom, who won a bronze medal at the London Olympics, holds the record for the most Women’s World Championship titles won by any boxer, along with six silver and bronze medals.

“It is a great and uncommon honour for India to host the World Championships for a third time. In front of a large international audience, it will highlight India’s strength as a sporting nation. I am excited and thrilled to be a part of this competition, and I have no doubt that this will go down in Indian sports history as a milestone,” remarked Mary Kom.

In 2014, a movie about Mary Kom’s life journey brought boxing to the big screen and inspired women in the nation to learn the sport. Farhan Akhtar, on the other hand, is a devoted sports fan who is also well-known for playing the lead in the boxer-themed films Toofaan and Bhaag Milkha Bhaag.

Farhan will interact with the fighters during the event and share the thrill of the competition on his social media accounts as well.

For the first time, a prize fund of INR 20 crore will be awarded at the biennial tournament, which has already attracted more than 350 boxers from 74 different nations.