London ABA

Seni has always had a strong boxing presence, with special guests, workshops and a televised Friday night professional fight show but Seni08 will prove to be our best Seni yet with the London ABA Boxing Finals taking place in two rings right throughout the Seni Sunday. The ABA finals are a bedrock of British boxing and this is your opportunity to not only see the prestigious London finals but also talent scout the potential Barry McGuigan’s and Amir Khan’s of the future. This is an event not to be missed!

Amateur boxing emerged as a sport during the mid-late 1800s, partly as a result of the moral controversies surrounding professional prize-fighting. The safer, "scientific" style of boxing found favor in schools, universities and in the armed forces, although the champions still usually came from among the urban poor. The Queensberry Amateur Championships continued from 1867 to1885, and so, unlike their professional counterparts, amateur boxers did not deviate from using gloves once the Queensberry Rules had been published. In the United Kingdom, the Amateur Boxing Association (A.B.A.) was formed in 1880 when twelve clubs affiliated. It held its first championships the following year. Four weight classes were contested, Featherweight (9 stone), Lightweight (10 stone), Middleweight (11 stone, 4 pounds) and Heavyweight (no limit).

By1902, American boxers were contesting the titles in the A.B.A. Championships, which, therefore, took on an international complexion. By1924, the A.B.A. had 105 clubs in affiliation. The 'ABA' Championships are the oldest amateur boxing championships in the World.  The first championships were held in 1881, followed by the ABA Schools Championships in 1920 and the Junior ABA's in 1935.  More recently the Novice (1996), Golden Belt (2004) and Female (2004) championships have been added.

In 1920 the ABA added (3) additional weights to the existing (5).  Also 'London' was split into (4) Divisions to accommodate the number of ABA entries, so Divisional Championships were born!  1920 witnessed the birth of the 'Schoolboy Championships'.  Split between 'Junior' and 'Senior' across (4) weights in juniors and (5) across seniors.  The first Championships took place in February 1920 and the second in December 1920!  The London Schools ABA was formed the following year.

Now you can watch the latest Boxing finals and be part of an on-going and proud tradition as Seni08 brings you the London ABA Finals.