As the 2024 Lagos Individual Boxing Club Championship ongoing at the Bishop Aggey Playing ground in Mushin inch towards its conclusion, more exciting contests await as prospective champions are set to emerge this weekend, Adekunle Abeeb powerful jabs and punches were enough to knock out Moses Olaitan less than 45 seconds in the first round.
In the female 48kg category, Ogunleye Olamide, one of the budding talents proved the power of her punches from the beginning to the final round, jabbing and covering her pace before winning 5-0 against Sulaimon Amirat.
The bout between Abeeb and Olaitan in the 80kg left the spectators in awe as the latter rained punches on his opponent few seconds into the first round. His opponent was unable to pick himself up to continue the fight before the judges declared him a winner in a bout that’s less than a minute..
Olamide fought her opponent out in the first round and she continued on that momentum till the final round where the young girl delivered a 5-0 win in an encounter that lasted three rounds.
It has been an exciting days at the developmental championship, where no fewer than 200 boxers are exhibiting more skills, finesse (both in punching and footwork) and crunching their foes in different weight categories.
Reacting after his victory, Adeleke said he is looking up to be a well rounded and established boxer that will be indomitable as he sets his eyes in winning more fights, particularly going home with a title.
He opined that his future in boxing is very bright, owing to the level of his consistency, perseverance and hardwork, adding that as a boxer, he will be at the summit of his discipline one day.”I’m so happy to be participating in this championship and my focus is to win the title in my weight category.
I said to myself that l will never give up and give it everything possible to be able to defeat my opponent”,said Ogunleye Olamide.Olamide, a silver medallist at the National Youth Games in Ilorin 2021, stated that she will improve on her performance, loosing any bout is not part of her target and she will continue to be a champion.
According to the Chairman, Lagos State Referees and Judges Association, Agunbiade Waheed, spoke on the organisation of the championship as an avenue that will take the youths off the streets, to see boxing as a kind of orientation that will make them prosper in life.Waheed thanked the Lagos State Government for the organization of the championship.
He said he’s overwhelmed with the organization of the championship, particularly, improving the growth of the sport and boxers.
The developmental boxing championship began on the 21st October 2024 and the championship will come to an end on 27th October, as the pugilists spirits were high to coast home the coveted laurels.
The initiative endorsed and supported by the indefatigable Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu was designed to put the boxers on track, preparing them for the forthcoming national competitions, and using the platform to churn out more talents in the pugilism ecosystem.
