Kunle Adewale

Muhammadu Buhari.

Buhari rewarded him with N1.5 million for his success in the ring at a reception held in the State House for distinguished sportsmen and women.

“It came to me as a big surprise when I was told by my coach, Adefemi Babafemi, that I would be honoured by the President in Abuja. My joy knew no bounds that day and it is my proudest moment in life so far, and the honour would motivate me in my future fights,”the Nigerian boxer added.

Though he is based in the United States, the Beijing 2008 Olympian trained for his fight against the Russian at the Lagos Hall of Fame boxing gym, which of course cannot be compared with most boxing gyms abroad in terms of equipment and trainers.

“Since I started my boxing career in Nigeria, I’m used to shabby facilities. The Lagos Hall of Fame boxing gym is good. The only thing that is lacking in the gym is speed balls and speed bags. But then, what I need mostly are good sparring partners. Fortunately, some boxers had just returned from the All African Games and I engaged about 10 of them as training partners. With the initial training I had back in America and coupled with the video clips of my opponent that I had watched and studied with my coach, I was in good shape for the fight with the Russian and the outcome was a testimony to it,” he noted.

In spite of being a world champion, he says he is not getting any support from government or the boxing federation, except from the Nigerian Police.

“The only support I’ve been getting is from the Nigerian Police; most especially the Inspector-General of Police who also ensured I was promoted to the rank of an Assistant Superintendent of Police. He has done virtually everything for me. Aside from this, there is no other support coming from anywhere. I was also not expecting the promotion from the Inspector-General. I will always appreciate the IG and the entire police force. Without the police support I would not have achieved what I have today in boxing.

“After my amateur career was over, the police employed me and it was through their boxing platform that I was able to fight Jamal Woods in Bartle Hall, Kansas City, Missouri, USA for my professional debut in 2011,” the police ASP noted.

The Olympian lamented the state of Nigerian boxing just as he condemned the game’s administrators, saying, “The Olympics qualifier is just around the corner and our boxers are still not yet in camp while boxers from other countries have been in camp long before now. Having the talent is not enough. At the end of the day, the country will go to the Olympics and return empty handed not because we don’t have good athletes but because they are not well prepared for the competition.”

Popularly known as God’s Power by admirers because of the natural strength