The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.

The IBF is preceded by the United States Boxing Association (USBA), a regional championships organization like the NABF, NABC and NABA. In 1983, at the WBA's annual convention, held in Puerto Rico that year, Bob Lee, president of the USBA, lost in his bid to become WBA president against Gilberto Mendoza. Lee and others withdrew from the convention after the election, and decided to organize a new world-level organization. At first, the new group was named the USBA-International. They decided to base the new organization in New Jersey, where its main offices are still located.

The IBF's first world champion was Marvin Camel, a former WBC world Cruiserweight champion who won the IBF's belt in the same division. During its first year of existence, however, the IBF remained largely obscure. But by 1984, the IBF decided to recognize Larry Holmes, Aaron Pryor, Marvin Hagler and Donald Curry, already established champions from other organizations, as IBF world champions. In Holmes' case, he relinquished his WBC title to accept the IBF's recognition. It established the IBF as the "third" sanctioning body, and a legitimate organization.

Arthur Abraham (born Avetik Abrahamyan on 20 February 1980 in Yerevan, Armenia) is an Armenian-German professional boxer residing in Berlin, Germany. He was an IBF Middleweight Champion from 2005 to 2009, making ten successful defences of his title.

Arthur Abraham was born on 20 February 1980, in Yerevan, Armenia to parents Grigor and Sylvia Abrahamyan. His little brother, Alexander, is also a professional boxer and his older brother, Christian, owns a furniture shop. He moved to Germany with his parents and brothers at the age of 15. He became a citizen of Germany in August 2006.

As a teenager, Abraham showed an interest in cycling. He became the North Bavarian and Franconian Youth Champion. However, after watching an exciting Mike Tyson fight, Arthur was inspired by Tyson's intensity and wanted to become a boxing star too.

In 1999, Arthur and his brothers returned to Armenia for military service. After 2002, all the brothers had finished their military service and returned to Germany in 2003.