  the world boxing organization (wbo) is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. the organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the ibhof alongside the international boxing federation, the world boxing council and the world boxing association. wbo offices are located in san juan, puerto rico. ==history== the wbo started after a group of puerto rican and dominican businessmen broke out of the world boxing association's 1988 annual convention in isla margarita, venezuela over disputes regarding what rules should be applied. the wbo's first president was ramon pina acevedo of the dominican republic. soon after its beginning, the wbo was staging world championship bouts around the globe. its first championship fight was for its vacant super-middleweight title, between thomas hearns and james kinchen; hearns won by decision. in order to gain respectability, the wbo next elected former world light-heavyweight champion josÃ© torres of ponce, puerto rico, as its president. torres left in 1996, giving way to puerto rican lawyer francisco varcarcel as president. varcarcel has been there since. at heavyweight, especially in the united states, the organization struggled to gain credibility as a major sanctioning body, with wbo heavyweight title-holders michael moorer, riddick bowe, and henry akinwande relinquishing the title to pursue other options. boxing publication the ring also didn't recognize the wbo, despite having recognized the ibf after its inception in 1983, five years prior to the wbo. in the lighter weight divisions however, long-reigning champions during the 1990s such as chris eubank, dariusz michalczewski, johnny tapia, and naseem hamed gave the wbo title much more prestige. the wbo was also made popular by boxers such as marco antonio barrera, oscar de la hoya, nigel benn, ronald "winky" wright, joe calzaghe, and wladimir klitschko holding its title. in europe, the wbo was more accepted during its early years than in the u.
International_nongovernmental_organizations Professional_boxing_organisations