The International Boxing Federation was founded in 1983.
The IBF emerged from the United States Boxing Association, a regional sanctioning body. At the World Boxing Association’s 1983 convention in Puerto Rico, USBA president Robert W. “Bobby” Lee Sr. lost his bid to become WBA president. Lee and his supporters then moved toward creating a separate world-level organization.
The new body was initially formed as USBA-International. It was renamed the International Boxing Federation on November 6, 1983, and established its headquarters in New Jersey. That date is why 1983 is the standard answer to the founding-year question.
A common mix-up is confusing the IBF with boxing’s older major sanctioning bodies. The World Boxing Council dates to 1963, while the World Boxing Association traces its origins to 1921. The IBF later became one of boxing’s four widely recognized major sanctioning organizations, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.
Marvin Camel became the IBF’s first world champion, winning the organization’s inaugural cruiserweight title.