Countdown to Paris 2024: Nigerian boxers’ exploits at Olympics

Sporting Tribune’s GANIYU SALMAN, in this report, concludes the highlight on the exploits of Nigeria’s boxers so far at the Olympic Games as the Paris 2024 gets underway this week.

SYDNEY 2000 Olympics was also remarkable as Nigeria presented six boxers at the Games but none of them came back home with a medal.

Coached by Joe Mensah and Samson Aransiola, the best result from the Nigerian team was obtained by Samuel Peter, who lost to Italian Paolo Vidoz in the quarter-final of the superheavyweight class.

He had earlier defeated Onofrei Constantin of Romania after being drawn bye in the first round.

Also on the team was Segun Ajose, who first outpunched Iranian Anoushirvan Nourian before he lost to American Ricardo Williams in the light welterweight class.

Albert Eromosele in the middleweight class lost to a Russian opponent in the second round.

Drawn bye in the first round, Albert Jegbefumere in the light heavyweight class defeated Troy Amos-Ross of Canada before he lost to Rudolf Kraj of the Czech Republic.

Rasmus Ojemaye also drew bye lost to Cuban Felix Savon of Cuba in the second round of the heavyweight class.

Nigeria presented seven boxers at the Athens 2004 Olympics under the tutelage of Samson Aransiola and Obisia Nwankpa.

Five of them lost their first matches, while the rest, Nestor Bolum and Ganiyu Muideen finished in the quarter-final. Effiong Okon, in the light flyweight, lost to Italian Alfonso Pinto, and Ahmed Sadiq, lost to Cuban Mario Kindelán in the lightweight class.

Isaac Ekpo in the light heavyweight class lost in his first bout to Utkirbek Haydarov of Uzbekistan, Emmanuel Izonrite in the heavyweight class lost to Naser Al Shami of Syria as Gbenga Oluokun in the super heavyweight class lost to Italian Roberto Cammarelle also on points.

Bolum, in the Bantamweight, first defeated Petit Jesus Ngnitedem of Gabon while he also outpunched Indian Diwakar Prasad RSC-3 before he was beaten by Worapoj Petchkoom of Thailand in the quarter-final.

Drawn bye in the first round, Muideen in the featherweight outclassed Khumiso Ikgopoleng of Botswana before he lost in the quarterfinal to Korean Song Guk Kim.

Undoubtedly, the worst outing by Nigeria in boxing was at the Beijing 2008 Olympics, where all four boxers who represented the country lost in their first bouts.

Rasheed Lawal, in the lightweight class, lost to Hrachik Javakhyan of Armenia, and Dauda Izobo in the light heavyweight class was beaten by a Ghanaian boxer, Bastie Samir.

Also, Olanrewaju Durodola, in the heavyweight class lost to Cuban Osmay Acosta while Onorede Ehwareme in the super heavyweight bowed to Lithuanian Jaroslavas Jaksto.

Four years later, Nigeria presented two male boxers Muideen Akanji and Lukman Lawal and a female boxer, Edith Agu-Ogoke as women’s boxing was introduced at the London 2012 Olympics.

Akanji, in his first middleweight [75kg] bout, lost on points to Darren O’Neill of the Republic of Ireland 6-15, while Lawal, a 2011 African Games silver medallist who competed in the light heavyweight class [81kg] also lost his first bout to Ihab Al-Matbouli of Jordan 7-19.

The only boxing win recorded by Team Nigeria boxers in London came through Agu-Ogoke.

Agu-Ogoke fondly called ‘the Lioness’ who secured the London 2012 ticket at the AIBA world championships in China outclassed Elena Vystropova of Azerbaijan 14-12 in the middleweight category.

The Imo State-born boxer however, failed to make the medal zone as she lost in the quarterfinal to Russian Nadezhda Torlopova 8-18 to crash out of the London 2012.

Four years later, only one Nigerian boxer, Efe Ajagba, made it to the Rio 2016 Olympics where he competed in the super heavyweight class.

Drawn bye in the round of 32. The Delta State-born boxer was impressive in his Olympics debut as he knocked out Nigel Paul of Trinidad and Tobago right in the first round.

Ajagba however, failed to land in the medal zone as he lost in the quarter-final to Ivan Dychko of Kazakhstan 0-3.

No Nigerian boxer made it to the Tokyo 2020 Olympics while Team Nigeria returned from Japan with one silver and one bronze medal won through a freestyle wrestler, Blessing Oborududu and long jumper Ese Brume.