13th April, 2012
The best way for Nigeria to raise future boxing champions is that the government and the corporate organisations in the country must focus on school sports, opined Oladipupo Babalola, Head Coach of Nigeria Model High School, Mushin, Lagos.
Babalola in a chat with Boxing In Focus at the 29th edition of the Saturday Monthly Boxing Show which was held recently at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Rowe Park, Lagos said there is need for the corporate organisations to partner boxing bodies so as to develop the squared-roped sport.
Babalola implored both the government and corporate organisations to wake to the reality that they have crucial roles to play if the country must be a force to reckon with in international boxing.
“The country has young talents in both primary and secondary schools who are potential boxing champions if they receive necessary support from the government and corporate organisations” Babalola noted..
“The young boxers must be exposed to modern method of training ,if Nigeria really wants to get the best out of them. Gone are the days where we have to depend solely on the physical aspect of training alone.
“The boxers will have no other option but to go abroad if they don’t have access to modern training equipment. But they will want to ply their trade in the country if they have sufficient training equipment,” he counselled.