Council boss, others, commend Lagos Sports Commission over boxing championship

Posted : 30 October 2024

Some stakeholders have commended the Lagos State Sports Commission (LSSC) for the successful hosting of the maiden edition of the LSSC Individual Boxing Club Championship held in Mushin.

The stakeholders who spoke exclusively included the Director General of LSSC, Lekan Fatodu; the Director of Sports Development, LSSC, Travih Nunayon; Boxing Promoter and Chairman of Last Boxing Promoters, Wasiu Waheed; and the Chairman of Odi Olowo Ojuwoye Local Council Development Area (LCDA), Ajala Razak.

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Razak stated that the various communities within the Mushin area were ecstatic about the boxing prospects discovered during the one-week competition.

According to him, the people believe in the initiative because it is one of the government's interventions to identify talents from the streets and use the platform to showcase hidden talents within the communities.

“Importantly, people have erroneous beliefs that nothing good can come out of Mushin, but with this initiative, we can raise hopes and prove to the world that we have many talents,” he said.

The week-long boxing competition, which had 300 boxers in attendance, ended on Sunday at Bishop Aggerey Playground in Mushin.

Ajala noted that the Mushin communities are blessed with many potential boxers who are on the verge of blossoming.

“Mushin's boxing scene is rich with talents who can contribute to Nigeria's exports and showcase the unique qualities of the Mushin community in boxing.

“There are many sporting events that the local government is organizing to complement the efforts of the state government.

“We have various programs: table tennis, football, boxing, and traditional games. We strongly believe in helping our youths become responsible and channel their talents and energies into productive ventures.

“We want to discourage gangsterism and activities that could harm the community. This can only be achieved through sports,” the council boss said.

Similarly, Waheed noted that the competition has awakened the sleeping giants of boxing in the Mushin communities.

“I want to congratulate the Director General (D-G) of LSSC for this initiative and the event. It has been a long-held wish come true for us to have this competition.

“As a member of the Boxing Promoters, I am excited that we can hold this competition in Mushin, which has revealed the true potential of the area.

“This competition has brought us joy by helping us identify more talents within the Mushin communities. This will serve as preparation for the NSF next year.

“Events like this will soon put Nigeria in the spotlight of boxing in Africa and the world because we are ready to do more,” he said.

The boxing promoter added that with abundant talent, the Mushin community could dominate both amateur and professional boxing.

“If other states can replicate this initiative, we will have more boxers emerging,” he said.

Nunayon also stated that the competition has fulfilled its aims and mandates.

He mentioned that the LSSC aims to scout for talents from the competition to bolster its pool of athletes for the Gateway Games.

“We have a total of 356 active boxers registered, but 56 of them failed the medical tests.

“So, we have about 300 boxers in different weight categories, both male and female.

“We have 13 male categories and 10 female categories, making a total of 14 different categories for the NSF.

“From what we have seen, our hopes are high, and we are looking to gain more medals in boxing in Lagos State,” he said.

The Director of Sports Development at LSSC noted that the commission has invited four boxers from each weight category—those who came in first, second, third, and fourth—to come to camp.

“The camp will be open for a week to assess their fitness, and then we will proceed to a closed camp. Our transition plan is to monitor the amateur boxers.

“We have different promoters who have been coming, and we also have in-house counselors to guide the young boxers on their career paths.

“First, we consider their career and age and expose them to a few competitions, including the Olympics under the amateur category.

“We don’t want to rush them into professional fights. For LSSC, boxing is a means of livelihood for young boxers towards a better future,” Nunayon said.

He added that the news about the success of the competition has spread across the state, leading to increased demand.

“We have received calls from Ajegunle, Badagry, and Lagos Island. The interest is there, along with the boxers.

“They have told us how they have been training without any competition to showcase their skills over the years, and this platform is a great opportunity for them to demonstrate their abilities.

“We are considering staging this competition before the NSF to bridge the gap in the weight categories we are lacking.

“We are also looking for other coaches to keep the boxers in shape. We want to challenge Delta State for the crown next year,” he said.

For his part, Fatodu stated that the state government is ready to revitalize boxing across all divisions in Lagos, emphasizing that the purpose of hosting the event is to promote grassroots sports development in the state.

“We have launched the project on a strong note with the identification of boxers in Mushin, and we are also targeting other communities in Lagos.

“In other areas, we are looking to scout table tennis players in Isolo and beyond. We have also realized the need to further engage other communities to promote more productive activities.

“We want to help them harness their hidden talents, so we will be moving around Lagos State,” he said.

The D-G of LSSC added that it has been a tremendous achievement in Mushin, as the commission did not anticipate such a high number of entries for the competition or the number of different boxing clubs and promoters involved.

“We are equally amazed by the quality of talent displayed during the competition. It has shown that there is much to gain from different sporting disciplines.

“So, this is a significant achievement for us in identifying talents that will represent the state and Nigeria, both locally and internationally.

“We will be going to Badagry, Epe, Agege, and others for swimming, cycling, and marathon events in series.

“We are engaging young people in various sports as we aim to attract talent in multiple sporting activities,” he said.

A sports enthusiast and resident of Mushin also praised the organizers and the boxers, expressing joy at the bravery of the boxers who showcased their talents.

“The boxers have truly given us something to be proud of as representatives of Mushin.

“This is the first time I will be watching a live boxing match aside from those shown on television. It is an exciting match to witness.

“Boxing, as a sport, is particularly beneficial for youths with high energy levels, like our youths in Mushin, which explains why the Lagos State Government held the fight here.

“Mushin youths are known for their fierce fighting spirit, and now they can channel their energy into legitimate fights. Kudos to the government for this initiative,” he said.

Council boss, others, commend Lagos Sports Commission over boxing championship

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