Nigerian boxing: Living on borrowed gloves and robe
Boxing is one sport which has suffered neglect in Nigeria despite being a potential a money spinner that can attract global investment which would in turn impact positively on Nigeria and Nigerians.
Unfortunately, it has neither experienced the required success in the ring from our boxers at various competitions in recent years nor has it been properly managed by officials.
For instance, the last time Nigeria won a Medal at the Olympics was 21 years ago when Duncan Dokiwari claimed bronze in Atlanta.
21 years is too long for a nation as big as Nigeria to go without a medal at the Olympics.
The situation is similar in the professional side of the sport, with too few great names to use as motivation for upcoming talent to surpass.
What then is the problem and how can Nigerian boxing go about being great again?
Revenues
Although nearly three million people watched the Floyd Mayweather vs Conor McGregor fight illegally, the bout was said to have grossed about $400 million in revenue with 50 million estimated to have watched it in the United States.
This was achieved thanks largely to the pre-fight hype and star attraction that came with the fight.
Hence, Nigerian boxing can look at ways of making the sport more glamorous by incorporating an event line-up featuring top celebs which would then bring fans to the venue and lead to the main event – the boxing fight.
Supporting talents
Nigerian boxers are largely left to train on their own and raise funds to keep up with their schedule and remain competitive.
This lack of support from the sport’s governing body has led to a reduction in the quality of boxers produced by the nation.
Hogan ‘Kid’ Bassey would never have become a world champion if he had not gone to Britain in his early life.
The same goes for Richard Ihetu who migrated to Liverpool in his early days to pursue his boxing career and later to the United States.
And then there was Samuel Peter who won the IBA heavyweight title in 2006 and WBC heavyweight title in 2008.
Since then, Nigeria could not readily lay claim to an acclaimed boxer.
Another prominent example is Anthony Joshua who was reportedly rejected by Nigerian coaches in the run-up to the Beijing Olympics in 2008.
Undeterred, Joshua moved to the United Kingdom where he won the Haringey Box Cup in 2009 and 2010 as well as the senior ABA Championships in 2010.
His success on the domestic level in Britain eventually earned him a place in the Great Britain boxing team and winning Olympic gold in 2012.
Therefore, it is on boxing authorities in Nigeria to be determined to bring local talents to the top of the sport by making opportunities to compete available to them.
Away from Joshua, Mayweather was born into a family of boxers so one can presume he had every opportunity to be the best boxer he can be.
McGregor on his part had the fortune of starting early when he joined the Crumlin Boxing Club in Dublin at age 12.
The duo’s background only buttresses the point of Nigerian boxing authorities nurturing the best talents without fail.
That way, Nigeria can have many boxers who would be household names because they make the country proud in all competitions.
Otherwise, Nigerian boxing would continue to exist on borrowed gloves and robe while past glories of old greats fade from memory.
