Claim: Mike Tyson is a heavyweight champion boxer.

The World Boxing Association -LRB- WBA -RRB- is the oldest and one of four major organizations which sanction world championship boxing bouts , alongside the IBF , WBC and WBO . The WBA awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level . Founded in the United States in 1921 by thirteen state representatives as the National Boxing Association -LRB- NBA -RRB- , in 1962 it changed its name in recognition of boxing 's growing popularity worldwide , and began to gain other nations as members .   By 1975 , a majority of votes were held by Latin American nations , and the organization headquarters were moved to Panama . After being located during the 1990s and early 2000s in Venezuela , the organization offices returned to Panama in 2007 . It is the oldest of the four major organizations recognized by the International Boxing Hall of Fame -LRB- IBHOF -RRB- , which sanction world championship boxing bouts , alongside the World Boxing Council -LRB- WBC -RRB- , International Boxing Federation -LRB- IBF -RRB- , and World Boxing Organization -LRB- WBO -RRB- .