The Russian Boxing Federation (RBF) invited the South African National Boxing Organisation (SANABO) Moscow to tour the country’s boxing facilities before discussing strategic work between the two bodies.

SANABO President Siyabulelo Mkvale visited the Russian capital where he met RBF secretary general Tatiana Kiriyenko before they both signed the cooperative agreement.

Under the deal, the two organisations have agreed to organise at least two training camps a year in Russia and South Africa while allowing athletes to compete in international tournaments in both countries.

Other pledges include conducting boxing matches between national squads, exchanging experience of coaches and holding "long-term training" of members of the South African team for various major boxing tournaments in Russia.

The meeting was staged after Mkvale was given a tour of the International Boxing Center in Luzkniki opened last September by Russian President Vladimir Putin, Moscow Mayor Sergei Sobyanin and International Boxing Association leader Umar Kremlev.

"I want to thank the Russian Boxing Federation for the invitation and the opportunity to visit Moscow," said Mkvalo

"It is a great honor for the South African Boxing Organisation.

"I was pleased to get acquainted with the amazing infrastructure of the International Boxing Center.

"I want to say that I came here to study, to study the boxing management model in Russia.

"I hope that someday we will be able to build the same training center for athletes and use it to educate world and Olympic champions."

Russia is looking to forge stronger links with South Africa with both nations members of BRICS – a political alliance that also includes Brazil, India and China.

The Russian Olympic Committee revealed last October that it was hoping to secure a “memorandum of cooperation” with South African Sports Confederation and Olympic Committee.

A month later, the Russian Rugby Federation declare its intention to seal a “large-scale agreement” with the South African Rugby Union.

The International Olympic Committee (IOC) ruled in late March that athletes from Russia and Belarus should be allowed to compete as neutrals provided they have not supported the war in Ukraine and are not affiliated to the military.

Boxers from Russia have been allowed to compete with any restrictions since the IBA, which remains suspended by the IOC over governance concerns, controversially ended the ban last October.

Russian Sports Minister Oleg Matytsin joined Kiriyenko in opening the Center for the Progress of University Sports of Moscow State University in the capital.

Two-time Olympic gold-medallist Oleg Saitov and double world champions Evgeny Makarenko and Raimkul Malakhbekov were also present.

"Moscow University has a glorious history, including boxing," said Matytsin.

"An outstanding athlete, two-time Olympic champion Boris Lagutin studied and trained here.

"He proved that harmony, mental development and fortitude are always characteristic of talented people.

"Boris Lagutin also defended his thesis at Moscow State University and at the same time managed to play sports.

"If a person has gone through the school of sports and boxing, there is a high probability that he will be successful.

"This year, the Department of Physical Education of Moscow State University is celebrating its 90th anniversary.

"I can note that sport is developing at the university and a lot of attention is paid to it.

"The success of students, athletes and teachers is inspiring."