IBF World Championship Bout Attracts more than 200 Million of Viewers

BEIJING, May 29, 2016 /PRNewswire/ -- The IBF World Championship Bout was held at Diamond Stadium on May 25 in Beijing. This is the first time that the IBF's world championship boxing event was held in China and it is the first game that IBF China presented in the year. More than 200 million viewers watched the game through CCTV-5 and LE SPORT.

Highlights of the games

According to the statistics from CCTV-5, the audience rating of the IBF World Championship Bout on May 25 reached 4.6%, it means there were more than 200 million viewers nationwide watched the game.

LE SPORT, as the strategic partner of IBF China, also opened live webcasting service for its more than 12 million paying members.

The attendance rate of the game at the stadium is also very good. More than 85% attendance makes the funnel-shaped stadium hustle and bustle.

Several current and former IBF champions including legendary boxer Mike Tyson, Roy Jones Jr., Katsunari Takayama and Phillip Holiday also attended the event.

Many Chinese celebrities and movie stars' attendance also increased the heat of the game. It is worth mentioning that the international renowned pianist Lang Lang performed Lage Armani's First Piano Concerto to show the respect for the fighters on the site.

The attendees of 2016 Annual IBF Convention from all over the world gave the game very high praise. "The game is really well-prepared. I can feel that Chinese boxing industry is full of energy, it develops very fast and IBF China is a robust and effective organization," said Jeff Hunt, a senior boxing photographer from Australia.

Over 100 media from home and abroad made the coverage for the event. And in the past one week, IBF China and IBF World Championship Bout has been listed top 3 of hot search list on Sina Weibo, one of China's most popular online platforms for information sharing and communication. 

Among all three major competitions, Xiong Chaozhong VS Columbia boxer Jose A. Jimenez and Cai Zongju's VS Thailand boxer Samson Tor Buamas were Chinese audiences' most concerned ones.

Although Xiong failed to win the number one position in the IBF Mini-Flyweight division in his fight against Jimenez, Cai Zongju's gaining of IBF Women's Intercontinental Champion Golden Belt gratified Chinese audiences to some extent.

"Xiong was a bit behind physically in the last rounds, but his skills are promoted obviously compared with his former performance. I believe he is still one of the most potential fighters in the country currently," said Zhou Chao, a senior boxing reporter in Sina.com. "Anyway, Cai Zongju's performance on the ring was really amazing. Her victory will attract more young people to love and learn boxing sport."

Cai will continue to fight for her IBF Women's World Champion Golden Belt later this year.

Creative Weigh-in Ceremony on Great Wall

One Tuesday, May 24, the convention attendees witnessed the weigh-in ceremony on the Great wall. This is first time in boxing history that a weigh-in ceremony was held on the eight wonders of the world. The intention of holding the ceremony on the Great Wall is to proclaim solemnly that Chinese boxing will go to the world and will integrate with world standard.

Legendary boxer Mike Tyson and well-known female champion Cecilia Braekhus witnessed the weigh-in ceremony and conveyed "In Boxing Family, I Believe Future!" to the world for calling on all boxers from all over the world to build a better future for boxing industry.

More than 300 IBF members from over 36 countries felt the nation's aspiration for developing professional boxing.

Daryl J. Peoples, the president of IBF/USBA, said, it is really a creative idea to hold the ceremony on the Great Wall. "The Great Wall represents the strong character and firm will of the nation which shares the same spirit with boxing sport - braveness of exploring, fearlessness of hardship, resilient and remembering with gratitude," he said.

Charity Goes through the Event

Gratitude is always an important concept of IBF China. The organization has been concerned about rural children's physical education and mental health since it was established in 2013.

On the ceremony, IBF China and Rejoy Group jointly donated 100,000 yuan to support the rural children and young female teachers in the rural area in order to ensure the rural children can get a better education.

On the site, Wang Ruihang, the president of IBF China, and Wu Huanling, the director of Commonweal Communication Institute, Communication University of China, jointly granted a cheque worthy of 100,000 to the headmaster of Beijing Nongjianv Technical Training School Luo Zhaohong.

Meanwhile, IBF China and Rejoy co-launched "Sincere Heart • The Champions Great Wall Tour" public welfare program on the event. The program aims to promote boxing sport into rural areas and helps rural children to build their body and encourage them to fight against poverty and destiny. Wang said IBF China plans to invite world-class renowned boxing champions to visit China's various provinces and cities to promote the program in the coming years.

Mike Tyson was granted as the Charity Ambassador of IBF China on the event and he is the first boxing champion who will participate in the development and promotion of IBF China's public welfare program in the future.

Wang Ruihang said: "We hope that these funds can help to realize children's boxing dream and hope our kids can support Chinese boxing to develop further and stronger."

About IBF China

IBF China is the sole authorized official representative of The International Boxing Federation (IBF) in Greater China.

IBF China was established in 2013 when the organization firstly entered into the country. IBF China enjoys the right of membership management, boxer registration, event certification, boxers' ranking, branding authorization in the Great China area.

As a non-profit and socially responsible organization, IBF is dedicated to provide a high-end and professional platform for Chinese boxers. Its mission is to promote the development of professional boxing rapidly and healthily in China.

In 2015, IBF China created 2015 IBF Professional Boxing Tournament. It has held more than 30 games in several cities including Beijing, Xi'an, Shenzhen, Suzhou, Hangzhou and Jinan in 2015. Through forging the mode of professional boxing tournament, IBF China will gradually establish the ranking system for Chinese boxers, and facilitate them to get promoted on the way to the world championship.

For more information about IBF China, visit our website at www.ibfchina.com.cn

About Rejoy Group

Rejoy is one of the most creative communication organizations with affluent culture and sport resources.

Focusing on the four business sections including cultural exchange, entertainment & sport, large-scale activity and PR & communication, Rejoy is dedicated to provide the comprehensive solutions for its clients from the aforementioned sections.

It is the only one company that has provided creative and comprehensive marketing and promotion solutions for the following four national sport and culture programs: 2007 World Special Olympic Games, 2008 Beijing Olympic Games, 2010 Shanghai World Expo and 2011 Xi'an International Horticultural Exposition.

Rejoy enjoys a very good reputation in the industry. Its core value is Creation, Cooperation and Share.

For more information about Rejoy Group, please visit it at www.rejoygroup.com

SOURCE IBF China

Related Links

http://www.ibfchina.com.cn