IABA Confirm ‘GAME CHANGING’ Nike Deal
The Irish Athletic Boxing Association have announced ‘a game-changing’ multi-year partnership with global giant Nike.
This collaboration marks a milestone and means IABA international boxers will wear the iconic Nike swoosh, in the ring and on the podium, up to the LA 2028 Olympics. In partnering, IABA and Nike are raising the commercial profile of boxing, at home and worldwide.Â
IABA athletes are among the very best in the world – boxing is Team Ireland’s most successful Olympic sport, and TeamNI topped the medals table at the 2022 Commonwealth Games.
The IABA argues consistently that producing world-beating performances and now collaborating with a world-beating brand is essential to growth and success, in and out of the ring.Â
The 2025 World Boxing Championships in Liverpool, September 4th to 14th, aside from being IABA’s maiden World Boxing benchmark event, will debut the IABA-Nike partnership.
Gary Stewart, IABA’s CEO, says “This exciting partnership, with a true global brand icon really demonstrates the world class reputation of our athletes. That our Nike partnership has its first outing during our World Boxing Championships is perfect timing.
And, Gary adds “This is as unprecedented partnership for the IABA, and speaks to our new direction in terms of brand, identity and commercial relationships. The 2026 athleisure apparel will have retail availability over the coming months, deepening existing markets for boxing wear, and widening visibility for the IABA and Nike Boxing both in Ireland and globally.”
Eddie Brown, President of Athlete Performance Solutions, says, “Opportunities like this do not come around very often. The historic legacy, and the bright future, of Irish Boxing makes this an incredibly exciting relationship for Nike Boxing. We are thrilled to outfit these phenomenal athletes with premium performance footwear and apparel as they pursue world and Olympic podiums.”
World Championship Team Co-Captain Adam Hession says “The quality of the kit is unbelievable and the detail is amazing. I can’t wait to wear the swoosh in the ring! It will be an hour to wear Nike kit at the World Boxing Championship Opening Ceremony – when it will be seen by thousands of people” while Aoife O’Rourke, Team Co-Captain, says “Being comfortable in what you wear and how it looks helps performance, massively. It’s important to know you’re at the top of your game when stepping in to the ring, and having a top-class kit contributes to that – Nike is the best boxing kit in the world”
