Chief coach calls for revival of boxing in Nigeria

Nigeria's boxing head coach David Amade has called for an immediate revival of the sport in the West African country in order to restore its lost glory.

Amade, who is the president of the Nigeria Boxing Coaches Association, said Sunday the National Sports Commission ought to bankroll a nationwide boxing competition to produce more talented boxers, reports Xinhua.

"The neglect of boxing by government has been responsible for the loss of its glory. It has always been a source of medals for the country. In fact, the first three Olympic medals won by Nigeria came from boxing. But one cannot imagine why the sport appears to have been abandoned," the coach said.

According to him, the neglect of boxing by the Nigerian government has demeaned the past records of the sport at major international competitions.

He said through constant sponsorship of competitions, strength of many youths in the country can be positively channelled into the sport to make them productive. Boxing would need to have not less than four to five competitions annually to raise world class boxers, he added.

"Motivation is the key to get the best in any person. Currently, boxers are poorly motivated and this has discouraged many talents," the chief coach noted.

Nigeria won its first Olympic medal in boxing, through late Nojeem Maiyegun, who won a bronze in the light middleweight class, at the 1964 games in Tokyo.

The country also won another bronze at the Munich Olympic Games of 1972, through Issac Ikhuoria, in the light heavyweight class.

Peter Konyegwachia won silver for Nigeria at the 1984 Los Angeles Olympic Games in the feather-weight class, while David Izonritei and Richard Igbineghu won silver each at the Barcelona Games in the heavyweight and super heavyweight respectively.