Boxing back in Nigeria after long absence

lagos — When Selah Fawaz decided to organise his first boxing match in Lagos, he didn’t expect more than 500 spectators. In the end, over 800 tickets were sold and he had to turn away dozens of fans at the door.

The stands were full, music pounded at full blast and the green and white Nigerian flag fluttered during the most eagerly awaited bouts. Fawaz, 31, is passionate about boxing and, in the space of two months, went from young oil industry entrepreneur to full-time professional boxing promoter.

“I started meeting with boxers and I realised at the same time that they don’t have enough money to pay for their licence or even to feed themselves, or access to train,” he told AFP.

Boxing used to be the most popular sport in Nigeria until the 1950s and 1960s but completely disappeared from view until the beginning of the 2000s.

Hogan Bassey was featherweight champion of the world in 1957 while Dick Tiger was the middleweight title holder in 1962 and also held the lightheavyweight belt in 1966.

Boxing was popular across many former British colonies but Nigeria differed in its wealth of generous local sponsors.

Jenkins Alumona, boxing promoter for Flykite Production, said popularising boxing again will lead to the discovery of Nigeria’s next world champion. Currently, there are some 300 pro boxers in Nigeria, added the former sports journalist.

Rehia Osagie, who founded the Elite Box club two years ago for the city’s monied upper classes, has also opened it up to professionals who don’t have equipment to train. “There is talent in this country and we are kind of working our way back (to where boxing was) but it’s very tough to make a living from it,” he said.

Top British boxer Anthony Joshua is said to have wanted to represent Nigeria — where his parents are from — at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing.

But the Nigerian federation turned him down because he was late for qualification.—