Ogun moves to breed boxing champions

 As part of efforts at promoting boxing in Ogun State, the present administration says it is keeping an eye on new talents discovered at various boxing competitions so as to have hundreds of Anthony Joshua’s in the nearest future.

The Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Youth and Sports in Ogun State, Joseph Fabi disclosed this at the 2017 third quarterly boxing show, organised by the Ogun Boxing Hall of Fame, in conjunction with the Ogun State Boxing Association.

At the boxing show which took place at the Alake Sports Centre, Abeokuta, Mr. Fabi said government had the wherewithal to attract more potential from the youth in the state towards achieving the set goals.

Mr. Fabi, who was represented by the Director of Planning, Research and Statistics, Mr. Ebenezer Ogundele, said Ogun State had been the pace setter in the production of champions in all spheres of human endeavour, commending that the present effort at discovering more talents at boxing competitions would invariably produce another world heavyweight champion, if well managed.

The state government is working to promote boxing, especially among the youth. As part of effort at ensuring that the aspirations become a reality, the present administration is working with all necessary stakeholders to actualise the set goals. As a matter of fact, new talents have been discovered from this competition and I am assuring you that they will be well managed to attain international heights, Mr. Fabi said.

Speaking, the Director of the Ogun State Sports Council and a former boxer, Mr. Faleti Adesola, said the event was commendable as it had discovered new talent that would be showcased to the world, saying it would invariably draw the attention of the youth away from all kind of social vices to appreciate sporting activities.

He said for any reasonable achievement to be made in sports, raw talent from the grass roots must be identified and nurtured to professional level, encouraging cooperate organisations and well-meaning Nigerians to emulate the gesture of Mr. Wale Edun who took it upon himself to sponsor the quarterly boxing competition in the state.

A former local and international boxing champion and the chairman, Ogun State Boxing Association, Mr. Ajani Aremu, commended the state government for supporting the competition, as lots of talents have been discovered through it, adding that Nigeria’s first Olympic medallist  was from Ogun State, likewise  the present world heavyweight boxer, Anthony Joshua.

He called on both the state and federal governments to encourage youth participation in boxing competition so as to promote its development at the grass roots.