Why I’m Into Boxing Promotion
For Sola Lawal, Managing Director of Tenelle Sports Ventures, going into unfamiliar terrain and conquering it is his hobby. He told Adebobola Alawade why he ventures into sports promotion especially amateur boxing
What is Tenelle Sports all about?
It is about sports promotion. We at Tenelle Sports paying much premium to sports.
What is the idea behind Tenelle Sports Ventures?
The idea behind Tenelle Sports is to help market sports. You know that sports is a unifying factor and we are leaving nothing to chance to ensure sports, especially boxing, is taken to the next level in the country.
Why the interest in boxing, when soccer is more marketable?
I agree with you that football is more marketable than boxing, but we don’t want to do what people are doing. That is why we are going into amateur boxing promotion.
Are you aware of the challenge a promoter faces staging a boxing competitions and how prepared are you to handle this?
For those who know me they know that I like challenges and I don’t always give in to them. Of course, I’m aware that amateur boxing in Nigeria has suffered a lot and it needs revival. That is what we decided to do now. On my preparedness, I would say we have set the ball rolling and any time from now we would stage our first show.
How do you intend to revive the sport?
As a sports marketer, I know how to go about thing like this. Those things that most people are afraid to do are what I like to do most. We have met with somesponsors, and they’ve given us their words. I can assure you that soon we will stage our first show.
Most people believe that boxing is meant for touts and you still want to get involved in it, how do you plan to tackle this?
Boxing is not for thugs. It is unfortunate that people have wrong notion about the sport. In the 70s and 80s football and boxing the popular games, but now the story is different. Most people have forgotten that boxing is the sport that brought Nigeria to the limelight. The adminstrators are not helping matter, as they have abandoned the sport, giving their attention to soccer to the deteriment of other sports.
When is your first show coming up?
Tentatively, it will hold next month. We are putting finishing touches to our plan. As regards the venue, we are considering a hotel located along Badagry Expressway in Lagos. We’ve got the blessing of the management of the hotel and they are waiting for us.
Why did you choose Badagry?
The venue is good for the competition. We have reached concrete agreement with the management of the hotel. They have promised to support us.
Where are the boxers coming from?
All the boxers would be coming from the nooks and crannies of Lagos State and its environs. We are looking at a situation, where the best boxers would be on parade.
What are your plans for the boxers discovered at competition?
We are not just staging a boxing competition, we are looking at the prospect of sending the best boxers on tours of some European countries for them to hone their skills in the sport.
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