Former Boxer Hails Jonathan’s Victory

A former light welterweight boxing champion, Ikechukwu Okoronkwo, has said that the re-election of President Goodluck Jonathan will change the lives of youths in the country.

Okoronkwo told newsmen on Monday in Enugu that Jonathan’s re-election would not only alleviate poverty among the youth but promote sports across the country.

“I am happy he won the election. And I know that he deserves it. Personally, when my club wrote a memo to him, I am happy with the way he endorsed it.

“We did not meet one-on-one but because of the merit and the impact of the programme on Nigerians, he approved it.

“And I have so much confidence that having been re-elected, Nigeria will have a head way in sports,” said Okoronkwo, the Chairman of Lion Boxing Club, Enugu.

The former boxing champion commended the National Sports Commission (NSC) and the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF) for allowing him to host President Jonathan Talent Hunt Boxing Competition.

He said he was impressed that the NBF finally endorsed the championship.

“I know that the NSC is also in support. We want to make it in such a way that people will develop interest in boxing,” he said.

The former champion explained that the aim of hosting the competition was to fish out young talents from the south-east and other geopolitical zones, who would be groomed to represent the country in the future.

Okoronkwo advised sports fans and philanthropists to always support boxing and other sports because apart from the fun, it is a money-making venture.