| European Boxing Union |
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HISTORY The EBU started life as the (IBU) International Boxing Union in Paris in 1910. The IBU became the EBU in 1946. During most of the , Latin America had only crowned 12 world champions and many countries in Asia , Oceania and Africa had not crowned a world champion yet. The European Boxing Union went through a period of economical difficulties during World War II . Because one of the organization's most important rules is that every fighter that fights for an ''EBU'' title must be a national and a resident of an European country, and all fights must be held in Europe, it became very hard, if not almost impossible, for the European Boxing Union, to stage fights, as Europe was in the middle of the historic War . As a consequence, the European Boxing Union stopped getting the average sums of money it collected each year from boxers and trainers after a fight. During the 1960s , the ''EBU'' recognized Emile Griffith as their Middleweight ''champion of the world'', thus giving Griffith status as a ''three division world champion''. The group of boxers who have won three or more world titles is small and exclusive, and, because of that and the fact that only the ''EBU'' recognized him as world Middleweight champion (he lost in two title fights to Carlos Monzon ), make Griffith's status as a ''three division world champion'' highly debatable. In 1963 , the National Boxing Association of the United States became the WBA and, soon, the association moved over to Panama . This was done, supposedly, to give Latin American boxers a better chance at competing for world titles and boxers from around the world in general better opportunities. This is, once again, highly debatable, as that is what WBA members alleged. In 1967 , the WBC was formed from a group of WBA members that disagreed with the WBA's doings, and, with two other organizations competing to attract boxers, the ''EBU''s personnel ultimately decided to recognize ''regional title bouts'' instead. During the 1990s , the ''EBU'' had some important developments, such as beginning to recognize Women's Boxing regional championship bouts, and welcoming former Yugoslavia n country Bosnia-Hercegovina as a member country. Currently, winning an ''EBU'' title is considered important, but not necessary, by many European boxers in order to go on and fight for a world title of the four most widely recognized world championship boxing organizations, the WBA, WBC, IBF and WBO . RULES The ''EBU'' follows certain rules, but most rules in ''EBU'' bouts obey the rules set by the independent boxing commission of the country where a ''EBU'' fight will be held at. Some of the ''EBU'' rules are that a fighter must not be younger than 20 years of age when fighting for an ''EBU'' championship, and that Hotel accommodation for boxers, referees and European Boxing Union officials visiting a country for an ''EBU'' fight must be paid by the fight's promoter. The ''EBU'' does, however, pay for the Airplane or Train tickets of referees and officials that travel away from home for a ''EBU'' fight. Other rules are also imposed on ''EBU'' recognized events, but not many of the ''EBU'' rules interfere with the fighting rules to be followed during the fight itself. MEMBER COUNTRIES The ''EBU''s presence in Europe has been somewhat diminished, specially after the events of World War II, as aforementioned. Here is a list of countries where ''EBU'' regional championship bouts are still being held: Associated members Provisional members EXTERNAL LINKS |
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