The Professional Boxing Association (PBA) was formed in 1993. The original idea of an organisation designed to support the welfare and education of boxers came from Barry McGuigan, and had been an ambition of his since the 1980s.
Despite McGuigan's personal success in the world of boxing, he had seen numerous individuals devote their life to the sport, compromising their education and training in other skills, in the hope that they would reach professional status. What frustrated McGuigan was the fact that not everyone could become a champion, and that their dedication to boxing may well have served them negatively, if they had not supplemented their physical training with personal development and education.
The PBA was set up not only to spread this message, but also to offer professional support and counselling, allowing members to learn and participate in courses often subsidised or even free of charge.