SUKMA 2026 Platform To Unearth Boxing Talent - Mohamad Iruan

KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 21 (Bernama) -- The 2026 Malaysia Games (SUKMA) serves as a crucial platform in the search to unearth boxing talent as part of long-term preparation efforts for international meets, including the Olympics.

Malaysian Boxing Federation (MBF) president Datuk Mohamad Iruan Zulkefli said they are drawing up a long-term development plan to identify and groom young pugilists with the potential to shine in prestigious championships, such as the Commonwealth Games, Asian Games and Olympics.

"So, SUKMA 2026 is important because it features new talent, particularly those aged 17 to 18. If they succeed in SUKMA, six years later, they will be 24, so we have sufficient time to groom them to reach the highest level,” he said when contacted by Bernama today.

He added that he had conveyed this to Youth and Sports Minister Hannah Yeoh during a recent meeting in Putrajaya.

SUKMA 2026 will be held in nine districts in Selangor from Aug 15-24, 2026.

Elaborating, he said MBF also submitted a proposal for additional budget next year to upgrade training centres in the states.

"We now have 13 state training centres, one in each state. We hope that, with the additional budget, we can help upgrade the training centres, including providing new equipment, such as better rings,” he said.

In a separate development, Mohamad Iruan said the national boxing team will send six pugilists to the 2025 SEA Games in Thailand at the end of the year.

He added that three of them will compete under Category A and the other three under Category B, with the selection process still ongoing.

Category A athletes will have their competition costs fully covered by the National Sports Council (NSC), while Category B athletes may be self-funded or sponsored, with costs potentially reimbursed if they win a medal.

-- BERNAMA