Nigeria’s Don King, Remi Aboderin, scribe of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Controls in an online question and answer chat has disclosed the need for governmental commitment in boxing bout in bid to attracting interest from corporate sponsors for boxing administration and event hosting.
He confessed that we really do have the materials to make Nigeria great, we have boxers. We just need the support of corporate world to make this happen and also governmental interest in the sense that whenever there is a boxing show, the sport ministry should some show some interest.
“When the corporate body knows that boxing is supported wholly by the sporting ministry, that way when there is a boxing bout, minister shows interest in being a special guest, the corporate world will want to invest in such. I have been to boxing shows in Ghana, South Africa mostly African countries and I can say that several times, the president then we’re always there”, he charged.
“In Nigeria, we don’t have governmental personnel who have shown interest when it comes to NO boxing, it’s only football that they all tend to support the jamboree in France, America but whenever there’s a boxing show in Nigeria, none of them comes in to say am going to be there so as to spur the interest of the sponsors to come in, that way, boxers are not getting the required interest and monetary gains so as to make them to want to commit to the sport thay God has given them the flare for”
“The greatest challenge we are having in Pro boxing in Nigeria is basically that of governmental interest and sponsorship. If Federal government through the sport ministry show interest in all sport, now we are talking about boxing interest from the Amateaur cadre to the Pro cadre, then we would get all the required interest of these boys and then everything will go on smoothly. Without interest of the government, the sponsors won’t invest in the sport, less of boxing promotions but thank God for what GOTV is doing, alleviating boxers sufferings through fkykite and we are hoping and praying that other corporate organisations will come in and be part of it. Sponsorship won’t come in without that enabling environment which is to be created by the government”.
Speaking about boxers who can actually make a name for themselves and the country, he said, “we have this boxer groomed right from his teaching stage to where he is now, he is actually the West African champion, he is going to go for WBF African title if not for the Coronavirus, Rilwan Babatunde, I believe that with the right people surrounding him, dotting the i’s and crossing the T’s, he will do better and very likely to be a World champion”.
“We have lot of international boxers that can do well in the international circle right now, Riliwan Oladosu, he fights in the large weight category and he is good to go, I am thinking if Riliwan is pitched against the best in Europe, he will do well and win a World title for the country same thing with Tony Salam in the same category with Riliwan, formerly based in England but is now back home trying to make his way back to the big circle”.
“Boxers are not the major challenge, we have materials that can be world beaters, all we is need is just corporate world to come in and support the God given talents, making sure this boxers don’t become idle hands for the devil’s workshop”, he remarked.
