The International Amateur Boxing Association (AIBA) announced in Lausanne on Thursday that Chicago will replace Moscow to host the boxing world championships in October.

The championships will take place Oct. 17-Nov. 1, the International Amateur Boxing Association said.

AIBA announced last month that the event would be moved to the United States, but the venue and dates hadn't been decided.

The championships, featuring more than 1,000 boxers and officials, will serve as the opening qualifying event for the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

Moscow was stripped of the boxing championships in March when AIBA said the Russian federation failed to live up to commitments.

(Xinhua News Agency May 4, 2007)