Becancour, Quebec to Host First World Boxing Academy

The International Boxing Association on Monday chose Becancour, Que., to host the sport's first world academy.

The city of about 12,000 across the St. Lawrence river from Trois-Rivieres, Que., beat Podolsk, Russia, 18-10 in a secret ballot of members of the world governing body's executive committee in Beijing.

The academy will train the best young amateur boxers and coaches from the 195 national federations that make up AIBA. Referees, judges and boxing administrators will also study there.

Some will stay full-time, including 50 resident students on International Olympic Committee scholarships, while others will come in for shorter stays to attend training camps or workshops.

"We now have taken a significant step in a project which will lift the standards across all areas of boxing," AIBA president Ching-Kuo Wu said.

Podolsk, near Moscow, will host a second academy if the first is a success.

Around 750 fighters aged from 17 to 34 will be trained each year at Becancour and educated in fitness, nutrition and anti-doping classes.

The academy is expected to operate on an annual budget of more than $5 million managed by the world body and Canada's national Olympic committee.

The project was promoted by AIBA president Wu after he was elected in 2006. The Taiwanese promised to modernize and clean up amateur boxing.