Representatives from some of the world’s leading boxing promoters — Top Rank, Don King, Oscar de la Hoya’s Golden Boy Promotions, Main Events, etc. — are scheduled to be here next week.

And a few present and past world champions are expected to put in appearances when the International Boxing Federation holds its 29th annual convention at the Hilton Hawaiian Village, May 29 to June 2, officials say.

But if you’re looking for a big fight that week, it will probably have to be between some disgruntled manager and the ratings committee, not a couple of title contenders in the ring.

The IBF is here for the sun, beaches and scenery, of course, not the boxing. And it is a good thing because there has been a continuing dearth of the latter hereabouts.

The arrival of the first big international fistic convention here in nearly 20 years is an ironic tease for a state whose once-proud professional boxing industry has been largely dormant for just as long. Was it really 31 years ago that Bobby Lee and the Hawaii State Boxing Commission turned thumbs down on a proposed Muhammad Ali bout?

Once upon a fading time, King, Bob Arum and others came here, TV networks in tow, to grandly promote championship fights. King famously declared after being shown the Kamehameha statue on King Street, “any state that puts up statues and names streets for kings is where I’ve got to be.” Then, he offered to promote a fight between “my friend the mayor (Frank Fasi) and my friend the governor (George Ariyoshi).”

Unfortunately, except for occasional Brian Viloria fights — the last one being 10 months ago — the ring lights have pretty much been dark and major fights few and far between as the sport has taken a back seat to mixed martial arts.

Unless Viloria defends his World Boxing Organization flyweight title here again that is the way it is likely to remain until a great local puncher emerges. Whenever that might be.

Viloria, a former U.S. Olympian and IBF light flyweight champ, was to have been recognized by the convention but is honeymooning in Europe and had to pass on the invitation, his manager said.  

In the meantime, the IBF will be here 250 to 300 members strong, organizers say. Part of the reason for coming to these shores is the hope that the convention helps further connect it with Asian boxing interests. That’s a market of considerable potential that Hawaii boxing would also like to serve as a bridge to. One that remains largely untapped.

In the meantime, Alan Taniguchi, executive secretary of the Hawaii State Boxing Commission, is seeking to build ties with other commissions and countries. And others — such as longtime referee Hubert Minn, who is the World Boxing Council’s chairman of ring officials — are trying to bring along the next generation of local judges and referees.

Maybe someday there will even be championships for them to work without having to get on a plane.

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Reach Ferd Lewis at flewis@staradvertiser.com or 529-4820.