Boxing is a sport that people all over the world love and has done for many years. Malta is no different, and the sport is run by two major groups: the Malta Boxing Association (MBA) and the Malta Boxing Federation. (MBF). These groups care a lot about the safety of fighters and celebrate the sport, but they are very different in important ways.

Both the MBA and the MBF think that boxers who are 19 years old are “Elite,” and this piece is about Elite Boxers.

The Malta Boxing Association

The MBA is part of the WBC and the EBU, and it is in charge of both professional boxing and a less serious form of amateur boxing. Boxers who sign up with the MBA can join other federations or sports as long as they get approval from the MBA. But they can’t take part in fights that aren’t approved. If they do, they could be kicked out of the MBA. Costs for registrations change at the moment.

Even though the MBA has a boxing class called “Semi-Pro” or “White Collar Boxing” by some, it is still amateur boxing and not professional boxing.

The MBF is in charge of Olympic-style boxing, while the MBA is in charge of amateur boxing. Boxers must wear head guards, but gloves can be any color. It is a less serious form of the sport. There can be more or less than three rounds in a fight, but each round usually lasts two minutes.

The Malta Boxing Federation

The MBF is in charge of all IBA-approved Olympic-style boxing, which includes Red/Blue areas and, in some cases, head guards.

Many of the great pro boxers you’ve seen had long, successful amateur careers before they turned pro. Once boxers are registered, they can’t fight for any other organization or sport, including the MBA, or they risk losing their right to fight in the MBF again.

Boxing Shows in Malta

Both the MBA and the MBF put on boxing shows in Malta, but the MBF is more active right now. However, the MBA recently said, “We should expect 2023 to be a very busy year for the MBA in Malta, Europe, and around the world.”

Every two to three months, there will be some kind of Kickboxing, Muay Thai, Boxing, or a mix of these shows in Malta. People go to the events put on by both groups, so boxers can expect to have a good crowd.

Don’t forget that some shows are held outside, usually in the evening to escape the intense heat of the middle of the day. During training, you should think about how you can get used to the heat.
Amateur boxers may make a small amount of money from ticket sales, but it depends on the promoters.

Weigh-Ins

The Malta Boxing Association (MBA) and the Malta Boxing Federation (MBF) have different rules about how to weigh in.

For MBA, the weigh-in is usually in the late afternoon or early evening on the day before the fight. Boxers have to stay within the weight category they signed up for. If a fighter doesn’t make weight, they are given another 2 hours to try again. If they still don’t make weight, they could be kicked out of the race.

For the MBF, the weigh-in usually happens on the day of the fight, about two hours before the fight is supposed to start. Boxers must make weight within their registered weight group. If they don’t, they will be kicked out of the competition. Boxers don’t have two hours to make weight, so they need to make sure they are at the right weight before they get to the weigh-in.

Boxers need to carefully watch their weight before a match to make sure they can make weight without hurting their health or their ability in the ring. At Sliema Fight Co., we want to make sure that weight cuts are done safely by sending people to experienced nutritionists.

Methods of Scoring

The “10-9 Must System” is used to score fights by both the Malta Boxing Association (MBA) and the Malta Boxing Federation (MBF). In the end, scoring is subjective and up to the people in charge of deciding.
In boxing, the “10-9 Must System” is a way to keep track of the scores. With this method, each round can be worth up to 10 points. Whoever wins the round gets 10 points, while the other fighter gets 9 points.
In other words, the boxer who wins the round gets 10 points, while the boxer who loses the round gets 9 points.

If a boxer wins a round by a large margin, such as by knocking down their opponent or scoring many more punches, they might get a score of 10-8 or even 10-7.

The goal of each boxer is to get as many points as possible during the fight. The fighter with the most points at the end of the fight wins.

If a boxer does something wrong, like hit below the belt, hold, or hit after the bell, the referee can take away a point from that fighter’s score for that round.

So, if a boxer wins a round but loses a point for a foul, they will get a score of 9 instead of 10 for that round. If a fighter makes a lot of mistakes in one round, they could lose a lot of points, which could have a big effect on their score for that round.

Weight Classes

As of the time this was written, these are the weight categories:

MBA Male Weight Categories:

Elite:

• Super Up to 52.16 kg for a flyweight
• Bantamweight: 52.16kg – 53.52kg
• Featherweight: 53.52kg – 55.34kg
• Lightweight: 55.34kg – 57.15kg Light Welterweight: 57.15kg – 63.5kg
• Welterweight: 63.5kg – 66.68kg
• Middleweight: 66.68kg – 72.57kg
• Light Heavyweight: 72.57kg – 79.38kg
• Cruiserweight: 79.38kg – 90.72kg
• Heavyweight: 90.72kg – 113.4kg
• MBA Female Weight Categories: Elite:
• Super Up to 52.16 kg for a flyweight
• Bantamweight: 52.16kg – 53.52kg
• Featherweight: 53.52kg – 55.34kg
• Lightweight: 55.34kg – 57.15kg Light Welterweight: 57.15kg – 63.5kg
• Welterweight: 63.5kg – 66.68kg
• Middleweight: 66.68kg – 72.57kg
• Light Heavyweight: 72.57kg – 81kg
• Heavyweight: 81kg+

Here are the MBF weight groups for men and women boxers:

Men’s Weight Groups: Light Up to 49 kg (100 lb.)

• Flyweight: 49-52 kg
• Bantamweight: 52-56 kg
• Featherweight: 56-60 kg
• 60–64 kg is light.
• Light Welterweight: 64-69 kg
• Welterweight: 69-75 kg
• Middleweight: 75-81 kg
• Weight between 81 and 91 kg
• Heavyweight: Over 91 kg
• Weight Categories for Women: Up to 48 kg (100 lb.)
• Flyweight: 48-51 kg
• Bantamweight: 51-54 kg
• Lightweight: 54 to 57 kg
• Lightweight: 57-60 kg
• Light Welterweight: 60-64 kg
• Welterweight: 64-69 kg
• Middleweight: 69-75 kg
• Over 75 kg is a “light heavyweight.”

How Do I Fight for Sliema Fight Co.?

Muhammad Ali once said, “The fight is won or lost far away from witnesses – behind the lines, in the gym, and out there on the road, long before I dance under those lights” First and foremost, make sure you understand this and are ready to work hard.

If you’ve been training daily, liked sparring, and think you’re ready for the next step? First, talk to Coach Jay or Coach Mike. They will tell you if they agree.

We’ll talk about how much you can weigh to fight, how to get to that weight safely, and what your training camp will look like. As the fight gets closer, this will, of course, change. Be ready for changes and last-minute opponent dropouts; this is the way of the sport, but it’s something we’d like to change.
The registration process is an important part of fighting for the MBA and the MBF, which we’ll talk about in another piece.

Happy Fighting warriors!