Sports
Boxers Hail Saturday Boxing Show
Some Lagos State boxers have expressed their satisfaction with the consistency of the monthly “Saturday Boxing Show’’, praising Olawale Edun for promoting the show.
The boxers told newsmen in separate interviews in Lagos that the show had provided them opportunities of showing their potential.
The boxers, who were reacting ahead of the 32nd edition of the competition, canvassed the extension of the show to other parts of the country, to enhance the discovery of more talents.
The event would hold tomorrow at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Yaba.
A60 kg boxer with Paramount Boxing Club, Yaba, Joseph Otto, said he was impressed with the sustenance of the monthly event.
He said also that the competition had provided a platform on which he could demonstrate his skills to be in competition shape.
“Most of the annual competitions crumble but this is the first-ever monthly programme which had run for more than 30 months without seizing, I commend Edun for the sustenance,” he said.
A 56 kg boxer, Eniola Korede of the Progressive Club, Mushin, said the competition had given him opportunity to challenge some boxers whom he was afraid of in the past.
Korede applauded the value which the monthly competition, sponsored by the former Lagos State Commissioner for Finance, has given to boxing.
He urged other enthusiasts to emulate Edun’s gesture by sponsoring competitions in other sports, to ensure their development.
Ayisat Oriyomi, a 54 kg boxer of Blessed Club, Abule-Egba, commended the donation of equipment and kits to boxers featuring in the show, describing the gesture as ‘good motivation’.
She said the show was a good avenue to discover female boxers, to be groomed into future champions.
“The competition has given female boxers the opportunity to fight and develop their talents.
“Also, boxers who participate in the competition are given kits, gloves, food and transport fare, every month,” Oriyomi said.
Makinwa Folorunso, a 45 kg boxer of the Sky Power Club, Epe, said he was discovered in the competition, and that since then, he had fallen in love with the sport.
Folorunso advised that the show be extended to boxers in distant areas like Epe, Ikorodu, Igbogbo-Bayeku, Badagry and environs, for more talents to be discovered.
The “Saturday Boxing Show,’’ initiated in July 2010, is being organised by the Lagos State Amateur Boxing Association, and promoted by Edun’s Lagos State Boxing Hall of Fame.
The Bayelsa State government, yesterday, announced that the marathon will be held on Saturday, April 4, 2026.
The inaugural race is owned by the Bayelsa State Government and will be organised by Nilayo Sports Management Limited, a sports management company.
Under the theme “The Reveal,” the race represents a bold unveiling of Bayelsa’s immense human and cultural potential to the international community, inviting the world to witness the resilience, grit, and talent rooted in the heart of the Niger Delta.
According to the organisers, the race will be flagged off at 9:30 a.m., at the Opolo Roundabout, guiding participants through a carefully designed 10-kilometre route that highlights the scenic beauty and vibrant atmosphere of Yenagoa.
The course will culminate at Peace Park Square, where athletes will cross the finish line into a grand celebration of endurance, unity, and community spirit.
To elevate the experience for runners and spectators alike, the finish venue will host a high-energy post-race concert featuring performances from top A-list artistes, blending sport and entertainment in a festival-style atmosphere.
The organisers directed all registered participants to collect their race bibs and kits at the designated Peace Park Square between March 30 and April 3, 2026, from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. daily.
The race, according to them, is currently on track for World Athletics accreditation, underscoring the commitment of both the Bayelsa State Government and Nilayo Sports Management Limited to delivering an event that meets the highest global standards.
The Director General of the National Sports Commission (NSC), Bukola Olopade, on Friday continued the Commission’s nationwide appreciation tour with a visit to Abeokuta, where outstanding junior athlete, Majekodunmi Afusat Bisola, was presented with a cheque of N3 million.
The presentation forms part of the NSC’s initiative to recognise and reward exceptional junior athletes who distinguished themselves in 2025 and contributed significantly to Nigeria’s medal haul.
Majekodunmi delivered an impressive run of performances on the track. At the last edition of the National Sports Festival, she stormed to gold in the 400m and the 4x400m relay. She replicated the double triumph at the Confederation of African Athletics (CAA) Junior Championship, in Abeokuta, before emerging as one of the standout stars at the African Youth Games in Luanda, Angola.
Speaking during the presentation, Olopade explained that the Commission deemed it necessary to extend financial appreciation to grassroots athletes after elite performers had earlier received grants running into thousands of dollars.
“A few weeks ago, after paying grants to our elite athletes, we agreed tthere was a need to also appreciate these young, budding talents who made Nigeria proud last year,” he said.
He disclosed that of the 376 medals recorded by Nigerian athletes in 2025, more than 200 were won by grassroots talents, underscoring the importance of sustained investment in youth development.
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