The City of Chicago along with the organizing committee for the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 today unveiled one of five, eight-foot statues—nicknamed “K.O. Joe”—that will be popping up around Chicago over the next month to help promote the upcoming AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 (October 23 – November 3, 2007 at the University of Illinois – Chicago Pavilion).
“The World Boxing Championships will not only draw attention to Chicago, it also will draw attention to the sport of boxing – a great sport that builds strength, endurance, fitness and self-confidence,” said Mayor Richard M. Daley. “Chicago is a great sports town and a very diverse city. We look forward to hosting athletes from all over the world, and I can guarantee they’ll be made to feel at home in our city.”
Pic: "K.O. Joe", an eight-foot statue replica of the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 logo, was welcomed to City Hall in Chicago today by Mayor Richard M. Daley. The AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 will take place October 23rd - November 3rd at the University of Illinois - Chicago Pavilion The AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 will serve as an Olympic qualifier for the 2008 Olympic Games in Beijing. And with nearly 700 boxers from more than 120 countries, this eleven-day event will be the largest world boxing championships in history.
“We are taking “K.O. Joe” on a tour around town, which includes City Hall, Navy Pier, community festivals and communities all over the city, to get Chicagoans excited about this international boxing event” said Jack Sandner, chairman of the Local Organizing Committee for the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007. “By attending the event, as a fan or as a volunteer, everyone can play a positive role in the Olympic Movement.”
The statues were derived from the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007 logo which consists of a boxer symbolizing strength and athleticism standing in front of the Chicago skyline.
Following his debut at City Hall, “K.O. Joe” will make appearances around Chicago including visits to schools, bus stops, community events, festivals and targeted sporting events through early November.
Tickets for the championships start at $10 and are on sale now. For tickets, please call Ticketmaster at (312) 559 – 1212 or go to
www.ticketmaster.com. For group sales, please call 866 – WBC – TIX1.
For more information about the AIBA World Boxing Championships Chicago 2007, go to
www.worldboxingchicago.org About World Sport Chicago
World Sport Chicago (WSC) is an Illinois not-for-profit working to enhance the image, awareness and participation in Olympic sports across Chicago and to extend Chicago’s international outreach through and for sport and youth. WSC intends to aid Chicago in developing a sustainable, international sporting legacy, as a real agent of social change for the City. Michael Conley, Sr., an Olympic medalist in the triple jump, serves as executive director. William Scherr, an Olympic medalist in wrestling, is chairman of the board. World Sport Chicago is the local organizing committee (LOC) for the World Boxing Championships. Jack Sandner is the LOC chairman.
About the International Boxing Association
The International Boxing Association (AIBA) is a non-profit making international organization, which was founded under the name Fédération Internationale de Boxe Amateur (FIBA) in 1920. In 1946 a new start was given with the launch of AIBA to replace the dissolved FIBA and now, more than 60 years later, AIBA, with its 195 member federations, continues to govern the sport of Boxing, working for the benefit of the sport and all its participants, to help Boxing realise its potential within the Olympic Movement and the international sporting arena. For more information please visit
www.aiba.org About USA Boxing
USA Boxing, as the national governing body for Olympic-style boxing, is the United States' member organization of the International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA). As a national governing body, USA Boxing is responsible for the administration, development and promotion of Olympic-style boxing in the United States. USA Boxing is a non-profit organization and is thus overseen by a Board of Directors. For more information visit
www.usaboxing.org