14th June, 2013
Coach Wasiu Bisiriyu of the Lagos State Boxing Association, Thursday said his boxers are preparing to defeat their British Amateur Boxing Association counterparts when they meet in London.
Bisiriyu disclosed this to the News Agency of Nigeria, NAN in Lagos State, southwest Nigeria, while speaking on preparation by the boxers for the fourth International Bouts scheduled for October in London.
He said the boxers had begun intensive training to dislodge the Londoners who had won the first and drew in the third editions with the Nigerians who defeated them in the second.
In the first edition, the London boxers won 4-3, in the second, the Lagos boxers claimed a 4-3 victory, while they drew 3-3 in the third.
Bisiriyu told NAN that the invitational bout was facilitated by Olawale Edun, the Chairman, Lagos State Boxing Hall of Fame and promoter of the Lagos monthly “Saturday Boxing Show’’.
We have to begin early preparation to strategise and select the best boxers from the “Saturday Boxing Show,’’ who will defeat the London boxers,’’ he said.
The coach said that four officials and eight boxers, including seven male and a female, would represent the state in London.
“We are aware that the British boxers have experience, that is why we began to train early for them to be in top shape to unleash terror on their counterparts,’’ Bisiriyu said.
He said that exposure was good for the boxers, adding that it would improve their competitive edge in international competitions.
Bisiriyu thanked Edun for his contribution to the development of boxing in the state and the exposure of boxers to international competitions.
Meanwhile, Edun, a former Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, told NAN that the Hall of Fame and the state government would jointly bankroll the cost of the trip to London.
NAN reports that Hall of Fame and the state government had sponsored the three editions of the International Bouts between the state boxers and the Repton Boxing Club of London in Lagos.