Olivieri To Officially Take the WBO Reins from Valcárcel at WBO Convention
- Matthew Brown
- Oct 31, 2024
- 2 min read
10/31/2024
A new era begins.
In a historic move for one of boxing’s most influential organizations, long-time WBO in-house counsel Gustavo Olivieri is set to be officially named the new president of the World Boxing Organization (WBO) at today’s proceedings during the 37th annual WBO Convention. Olivieri takes over from Francisco “Paco” Valcárcel, who has been at the helm of the organization for 27 years. In recognition of his contributions, Valcárcel will be granted the honorary title of “President Emeritus.”
WBC President Mauricio Sulaiman, IBF President Daryl Peoples and WBA President Gilberto Mendoza are all in attendance to celebrate the career of Valcárcel and the appointment of Olivieri.
The WBO, founded in 1988, originated from a dispute that led a group of Puerto Rican and Dominican businessmen to break away from the World Boxing Association (WBA) during its annual convention in Isla Margarita, Venezuela. This new group sought to establish an independent sanctioning body, and under the leadership of its first president, Ramón Piña Acevedo, the WBO quickly began organizing world championship bouts on a global scale. The inaugural WBO championship fight saw boxing legends Thomas Hearns and James Kinchen compete for the vacant super middleweight title.
To bolster the WBO’s legitimacy and reputation in the early days, the organization turned to José “Chegui” Torres, the renowned former light heavyweight champion from Ponce, Puerto Rico. Torres assumed the presidency, ushering in a new level of respectability. After serving for several years, Torres stepped down in 1996, paving the way for Valcárcel’s long and transformative tenure.
Photo Credit: Gustavo Olivieri
During his time as president, Valcárcel played a pivotal role in solidifying the WBO’s standing within the global boxing community. His leadership helped the organization gain recognition alongside the WBA, WBC, and IBF as one of boxing’s “big four” sanctioning bodies. Valcárcel’s efforts have had a lasting impact on the sport, enabling WBO champions to gain prestige and furthering the organization’s influence worldwide.
Olivieri, who joined the WBO in 2017, now becomes only the fourth president in the organization’s history. His promotion signals a new chapter for the WBO, as it seeks to build upon the strong foundation Valcárcel established over nearly three decades. Olivieri’s expertise as in-house counsel has prepared him well to take on this role, and the WBO community looks forward to his leadership in continuing the organization’s growth and development.
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