16th August, 2013
From 16-24 August, more than 500 boxers are expected to hit the Brai Ayonote Boxing Gym, National Stadium, Lagos western Nigeria to participate at the 2013 National Boxing Championships.
The Open Championships, according to Nigeria Boxing Federation, NBF, will be used to select boxers that will represent the country at the forthcoming 18th African Elite Boxing Championship in Mauritius, AIBA Youth Women Championship in Belgium, AIBA World Boxing Championship in Kazakhstan , 2014 Commonwealth Games and the Youth Olympic Games.
But some stakeholders have taken a swipe at the NBF, stressing that they are not on the right path, if they truly have the love of amateur boxing at heart.
Some of the stakeholders scolded the board for waiting until when a competition is around the corner before start ing preparations.
Former amateur boxer, Essien Effiong, who is now based in Australia in a chat with P.M.NEWS Boxing In Focus from his base, said it is the same lull by previous board of the NBF that forced him to turn professional at an early stage.
Effiong while trying not to sound too pessimistic said fire brigade approach cannot get amateur Nigerian boxers anywhere in international competitions.
A cross section of the respondents had harsh words for the NBF for failing in its responsibilities to provide training equipments that can meet with international standards.
Ekundayo Famoroti, an amateur boxing enthusiast said he has been nurturing the idea of going into amateur boxing promotions but unavailability of boxing equipments is what had made him not ventured into it.
According to him, “The authorities must do something about the state of training facilities across the country, I want to groom budding boxing talents but it is very difficult to sponsor an amateur boxing event, when the facilities are not on ground.”
They are of the general view that the ongoing trials is ill-timed that it should have been on a monthly basis.
One of the stakeholders, who happens to be an amateur boxer but does not want his name in print for fear of being reprimanded said some interested boxers were not informed in time hence they would not be able to attend the trials.
He further advised the NBF to have a rethink by organizing a zonal trial before the National one, where the best of them all will slug it out to get the best.