The colossal 11-day spectacle—touted by the Switzerland-based AIBA as “the largest world boxing championships in history”—is being held in Chicago almost by accident.

“What happened is that Moscow was elected in Taipei to host this year’s tournament,” says AIBA spokesman Richard Baker. “Following that election, we issued an agreement with mark-off steps to ensure that they’d organized facilities and suitable transportation to allow the athletes to perform at their best. We extended deadlines to give the Russian boxing federation the opportunity to adhere.”

They didn’t, and when Seoul (the runner-up in Taipei) declined, Chicago jumped at the chance to showcase the city for the Olympics committee. Mayor Daley and World Sport Chicago, the organizing committee charged with spearheading such efforts, clearly hope it will help secure the city’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympics. Chicago-based U.S. Gypsum Corp. agreed to kick in as the main presenting sponsor.

Despite having only a few months to prepare (instead of the usual two years), the Chicago committee was prepared when the AIBA arrived last month with its check-off list. “The technical delegates were very impressed with the facilities and organization,” Baker says.

The draw for match-ups takes place Tuesday morning. Pairings get posted on the website (worldboxingchicago.org), so you can catch your favorites early and often. For the first six days, you’ll see bouts in two rings simultaneously (11am–10pm), with general-admission seating so you can move back and forth. The action switches to single-ring with Round 16 (Oct 30–31, 2–10pm), during which the winning boxers in nine weight classes earn their spots. Four heavies and superheavies clinch at the quarterfinals (Nov 1, 2–5pm, 7–10pm), and you’ll see whom to put your money on in Beijing as the top contenders duke it out through the semifinals (Nov 2, 2–5pm, 7–10pm) and the Fox-televised finals (Nov 3, 2–6pm).

Among those boxers you don’t want to miss are 2004 Olympic gold medalists Alexey Tischenko (a Russian featherweight) and light-welterweight Manus Boomjumnong, whose post-Olympic party lifestyle caused the Thai boxing federation to exile him to Cuba to limit his carousing and keep his career on track. Also featured is light-flyweight Zou Shiming, China’s first Olympic boxing medalist, who won a bronze four years ago in Athens.

But where, you ask, are the Cubans? They dominated the 2004 Olympics, but none of their gold medalists are returning; one retired, three defected and the fifth attempted to defect during the Pan American Games in July, but was deported back home in disgrace. Everyone wants a look at this year’s team, but you won’t get it here. The Cuban boxing federation is boycotting the tournament, and issued a statement that pointed a finger at American “schemers and tricksters” who, it alleges, will prey on its athletes.

You will, however, see amazing homegrown talent, including 21-year-old Cincinnati flyweight (and the only returning member of the 2004 American team) Rau’Shee Warren, and 19-year-old Gary Russell Jr., a hard-hitting bantamweight with lightning speed from Maryland whose dad trains him in their basement. Other boxers to watch include U.S. team cocaptains Luis Yanez, a 17-year-old light-flyweight from Dallas who’s a two-time National Golden Gloves champion and a Pan Am Games gold medalist, and Army Sgt. 1st Class Christopher Downs, a 33-year-old light-heavyweight who served in the Iraq War. If he qualifies, Downs will be the oldest-known U.S. boxer to compete in the Olympics.

“They’ve been traveling internationally, so they’ve been booed a lot,” says USA Boxing’s Julie Goldsticker. “So they’re really looking forward to boxing for an American audience.”

Chicago gets ready to rumble Tuesday 23. See listings and visit timeoutchicago.com/blog for regular updates from the tournament.