New Zealand boxer Elenoa Lilo has actually been attracted to met a Belarusian to begin with at the World Female's Boxing Championships in New Delhi.

Five New Zealand bozers are taking part despite Boxing New Zealand's preference that they not go to.

A dozen countries are boycotting the event amid installing worries about the IBA, the sport's Russian-led world controling body.

The IBA enables boxers from Russia and Belarus to take on national flags as well as anthems, in spite of the war in Ukraine, while boxing's Olympic future is believed to be under threat under the present regime.

Boxing New Zealand left the final decision to the athletes after they had actually all fundraised themselves to arrive.

Heavyweight Celine Lee-Lo is the first New Zealander in action tonight handling a Trinidad as well as Tobago competitor.

The various other New Zealanderss completing are Tasmyn Benny, Christine Gillespie, Jennifer Peters and also Cara Wharerau.

There is virtually $4 million dollars up for grabs with each division champion swiping $160,000.

300 professional athletes from 65 countries are participating, but those boycotting the event include the USA, Great Britain, Ireland, Sweden and also Ukraine.

The IBA lifted a ban on Russian and also Belarusian fighters last October, versus the International Olympic Board's advice following Russia's intrusion of Ukraine on Feb. 24 in 2015.

"IBA assurances to everybody transparency and fairness," IBA President Umar Kremlev stated with a translator after stating the event open.

"We made a lot of efforts to make this procedure by inviting, for instance, the team of McLaren," the Russian claimed describing the examination team led by Canadian law professor Richard McLaren.

The IBA has actually also welcomed the presence of an IOC surveillance group, which would certainly "see first-hand IBA's finest methods regarding technical and also competitions rules, specifically its declared bout review procedure," the federation stated.

The IOC put on hold the IBA in 2019 over governance, money, refereeing and ethical concerns and also did not entail it in running the boxing events at the Tokyo Olympics. The IOC additionally plans to stage its very own boxing qualifier for Paris.

New Zealand fighters Olympic credentials event will be the Oceania Champs later this year.

For the Delhi event, the IBA has actually set up open registration for fighters from boycotting nations and also even extended financial backing so they do not come to be "sufferer of the political video games of a few National Federations".

The International Boxing Organization has actually likewise opened up disciplinary process against several individuals, consisting of New Zealand President Steve Hartley, over their boycott of world championships.