By Duncan Mackay

Brazil brothers taking part in APBJune 19 - Brazil's London 2012 Olympic medallists will be the main attractions for a series of exhibition bouts organised by the International Boxing Association (AIBA) in Ginásio do Botafogo, Rio de Janeiro, later this year.


The event on August 10, which will showcase the AIBA Pro Boxing (APB), will feature brothers, Esquiva Florentino Falcao and Yamaguchi Florentino Falcao, winners of silver and bronze medals respectively at London 2012 in the middleweight and light heavyweight divisions.

Esquiva Florentino Falcao will meet Romanian Bogdan Juratony, winner of a silver medal at the European Championships earlier this month, while his brother will take on Michel Tavares, the Frenchman who competes for Dolce & Gabbana Italia Thunder in the World Series of Boxing, over eight rounds of three minutes each in bouts where the fighters will not wear headguards or vests. 

Esquiva Florentino Falcao London 2012Esquiva Florentino Falcao on his way to winning an Olympic silver medal at London 2012

"It is truly symbolic to have the chance to unveil APB in the host city for the next Olympic Games", said AIBA President and APB Board chairman C K Wu.

"Rio 2016 will be the first Olympic Games in history allowing pro boxers to compete, and their qualification pathway to do so will be through competing in our revolutionary APB programme, which is fully aligned with the principles of the Olympic Movement."

The APB is the AIBA's most ambitious project to date, looking to roll back decades of tradition by offering contracts that allow fighters to box professionally in the tournament but also retain their Olympic eligibility.

Rio de Janeiro is one of several cities where exhibition bouts will be held before the official launch of the competition, which is scheduled for January 2014.

The first one is due to take place at at Jeju Island in South Korea on July 19.