Sports
Boxing Promoter Begs RSG For Tournament
The Former Rivers State heavyweight boxing Champion, John Senibo, is begging the Rivers State Government ably led by Nyesom Wike, to sponsor and host a boxing tournament in the state.
He stated that, if sponsored, the tournament in the state will help to discover more athletes in the industry that will respresent both the state and the nation in different competitions.
Senibo, who is popularly called Big John, said this in a Radio programme monitored by Tidesports last Thursday in Port Harcourt.
According to him, attention should be given to boxing because, as early as 1968, boxing gave Nigeria her first medal in the Olympic games.
He explained that Rivers State has a very big boxing gym, which could be used when hosting a trial competition saying that, if proper attention is given to the boxing industry in the state, a lot of youth will be engaged in the sport.
“Big John is soliciting for the first Gov Wike Boxing Championship in the state.
For the very first time in the history of Nigeria Olympic outing, the very sport that gave Nigeria her first Olympic medal did not go to the just concluded Olympic, what is happening with boxing in the nation”, Senibo asked.
The number one boxing analyst in the state revealed that, what the country needed in the boxing industry was a holistic boxing championship, not even a school sport.
He further said that, if we discovered athletes from school sports, it would still take a couple of years for them to respresent you in the National Sports Festival, (NSF) and internationally.
Big John, who is also a boxing promoter in the state blamed the federal government for giving more attention only to football.
“They concentrate mostly on football, why can’t they look for other sports for God’s sake.
“I am begging the Power of Sports in Africa , Governor Wike, to host and sponsor a boxing championship, because a lot of talents will be discovered,” he said.
By: Kiadum Edookor
Vice president of the Nigeria Olympics Committee (NOC), Chief Solomon Ogba, foremost Sports Marketer and founder of Okpekpe Road Race, Mike Itemuagbor and top Sports Journalist and Media Strategist, Mitchel Obi have lent their voices in support of the Niger Delta Sports Festival (NDSF).
The personalities with backgrounds in sports administration, marketing and media spoke separately in commendation of the festival, an initiative of the Niger Delta Development Commission (NDDC) with Dunamis Icon as consultants.
“This is a positive addition to the evolving sports business ecosystem because it is not just a springboard for identifying talents, it also offers a platform to truly hone the skills of those already discovered”, remarked Obi, who served as Special Advisor to a former Sports Minister, late Anthony Ikhazabor.
He said the festival will be a flagship event in the region that would trigger interest in sports among the youths and people of the region.
Edo State-born Itemuagbor commended the NDDC for the decision to add sports in the list of their intervention projects in the region, adding that: “This speaks directly to the problem of youth restiveness which is of great concern to our people.”
Raphael Onyedika has now emerged as a major doubt for the Super Eagles’ must-win 2026 World Cup qualifiers against Rwanda and Zimbabwe later this month.
The midfielder was forced out early from last week’s league game against Standard Liege.
He has not recovered from the injury and so will miss today’s league match against Gent and may also miss a UEFA Champions League Round of 16 clash against Aston Villa yesterday.
The Super Eagles take on Rwanda in Kigali on March 21, before they face Zimbabwe in Uyo four days later in crucial World Cup qualifiers.
Nigeria’s Super Eagles and Al-Khalood defender, William Troost-Ekong, has shared his experience on the difficulties of winning the prestigious Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) while describing it a must win trophy.
The former Watford FC defender has competed in the tournament three times but has yet to lift the trophy.
“I’ve been there three times now, bronze medal, silver medal, but I haven’t had the chance to win it. That remains my ultimate goal,” he told Tidesports source.
“It means so much to me and all the kids growing up in Africa and Nigeria.”
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