Ex-footballer plans rosier fortunes for boxing

Boxing promoter, Ifeanyi Nigel Nwajiobi, is set to change the face of the trade in the country if his words and commitment are anything to go by. The younger brother of former Super Eagles International, Emeka Nwajiobi, will set the ball rolling on December 14 with an international boxing show slated for the Indoor Sports of the National Stadium, Abuja.

    

 

The championship according to the organisers, Nigeria Boxing Board of Control NBB of C, will feature eight bouts which include, four African Boxing Union fights, two national title bouts and two. undercards.

 Although the London based promoter did not disclose the purse of the boxers, he boasted that the pugilists would smile to the bank after the encounters.

"My intention is to change the face of the sport completely in Nigeria and make boxers enjoy what others are benefitting in other parts of the world," he explained.

He gave the names of the boxers featuring in the December 14 fight as Babatunde Alimi of Nigeria, who will be slugging it out with Danie Venter of South Africa in the Cruiserweight division.

Others according to him, are Fatai Onikeke against Leelakwei Hammond of Ghana in the Welterweight category, Segun Ajose against Kevin Onyango of Kenya in the Super Lightweight division while Friday Felix will slug it out with a fellow Nigerian Ibrahim Adewale in the Batamwieght class.

 The National titles he said, would feature Sunny King Hammer against Mojeed Okedara in a Middleweight clash while Akeem Akinbode would take on Sunday Ajayi in the Super Lightweight category.

The female bout will see Iyabo Stephen taking on Dorothy Musa.  Nwajiobi said his primary goal at the moment was not to make money but  to create an impression that the sport could be organised the way it was done in places like Europe and the United States.

 "I am coming into the sport because of the love I have for the sport.  When I looked back and discovered that nothing is being done to sustain the legacies the likes of Hogan Kid Bassey and Dick Ihetu Tiger left behind I decided to take the bull by the horn," he explained.

Nwajiobi's interests also trancends boxing as the ex-footballer, who once laced boots for Middlesborough and Derby County in the English Premiership, is planning to bring teams from Europe for a eight nation competition in the country.

"I am just waiting for the go ahead from the Nigeria Football Association and the Sports Ministry, once the approval is gotten I intend to bring in four teams from Europe with four from here for the competition," he said. 

 The teams he said would play in two group comprising Lagos zone and Abuja with the two finalists moving to Abuja for the grand final.

Nwajiobi said the problem with Nigerian footballers was that of management and infrastrutures and that he intended to break that barrier by bringing the rest of the world to Nigeria.

  

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