One punch too deadly for female boxing

For female boxing in Nigeria, it is becoming a matter or situation of a punch too deadly. Unlike their male counterparts, who are recuperating after a long spell in the valley of oblivion...courtesy of a group of concerned Nigerians, who felt that the Noble Art of Self-Defence, should be salvaged, the women folks have virtually hung their gloves. The sport has not had the good fortunes of being considered as one that the Nigerian Amateur Boxing Association, (NABA) should give a second look at its meetings.

According to Prince Adeniji-Adele, a female boxing coach, who is the lecturer, ( Boxing) at the National Institute For Sports, Lagos, female boxing has finally died in the country.  "The game is dead," he moaned;''look my brother, forget it ... the game is as good as dead," he repeated again but, this time with the sombre look, that, which is most times worn by widows and widowers.  And the Prince is not happy and he could hardly hide his nostalgia over the decaying condition of the game, he had toiled to lend a lifeline with no success.

"I have tried my best possible to see that female boxing survives in Nigeria, but there are too many forces against its survival.  I don't know why...I can't explain it.  The boxers themselves are tired of the hopeless situation.  There are no competitions, no recognition or respect shown for it and its practioners, no sponsors, nothing at all," Adele, who was one of the beneficiaries of a refresher programme in boxing in the Australian Institute of Sports in 2004, lamented.

If the coach feels that there lies no more hope for female boxing in the country, perhaps he would have to make a re-think and retrace his 'fatigued' steps, following the decision of the Lagos State Amateur Boxing Association, to give female boxing a supportive push.  nigeriasports.com gathered that the Lagos State Boxing body is not unaware of the predicaments of not only female boxing, but also, a few others sports.

It is in her bid to bring back life to such sports, with a strong "Yes" for female boxing, that the State has decided to organize tournaments aimed at reassuring athletes and coaches of such sports, that "all hopes are not lost afterall...at least in Lagos State."

nigeriasports.com gathered that plans have reached advanced stages for a female boxing tournament to be staged in June at the Rowe Park Sports Centre of Lagos.  "The Female Boxing Revival Tournament  is to be sponsored by a member of the State's Boxing Board, Rotimi George-Taylor.  George-Taylor is a great lover of boxing and he has never made a secret of it.  If you recall, he was to go for the Presidency of the National body, but was prevailed upon to forget it.

"This year, he tried again, but you know our society...it's a situation where pegs are not kept in their rightful places.  He lost in his bid, but you can see that, in spite of the shortfall, he is still going ahead to demonstrate his love for the sport.  It won't be an all-female affair.  The boys would be given some of the day's pie to bite...boxing afterall, is boxing; whether it is being fought by men or being boxed by women...I tell you, boxing is boxing.  The important thing, is that there is an avenue to show the boxers that, they are not forgotten," our Rowe Park source told us.

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