Marketing Outfit Plans Big For Boxing

An Ibadan-based sports marketing outfit, TKO, says it has concluded arrangements with some notable and successful boxers in England to assist the sport grow in Nigeria.

Mr Tokunbo Ladipo, owner of TKO, said in Ibadan on Wednesday that the arrangements were part of his plans to resuscitate boxing in Oyo State.

Ladipo told newsmen that  boxing was money spinning and a more lucrative sport than football if it was properly managed.

According to him, the notable boxers from England will come with training facilities which will be donated to the Sports Council and some boxing clubs in the state.

He said that some ex-international boxing champions based in Europe and America had conducted a survey and realised that Nigeria had the largest number of talents in the game.

Ladipo added that the ex-internationals also in their findings discovered that lack of facilities and technical encouragement remained the bane of the development of the game in the country.

“We have arranged with the likes of Sunday Lawanson a Nigerian-born UK-based boxer, popularly known as Zulu, Chris Eubanks and Nigel Benn.

“We have also contacted a boxing promoter Barry Hearns who owns Leyton Orient FC and Top Ranking Boxing Clubs in England.

“These boxers will bring boxing equipment that will be highly useful for training of our boxers in Oyo State.

“These people are ready and willing to assist the growth of the sport, especially in Africa where they know talents abound.

“And you know, I as an indigene of Ibadan who knows how boxing was thriving in the ancient city before, will want Oyo state to be the first beneficiary of this scheme,’’ Ladipo said.

He said TKO would collaborate with other interested stakeholders to be organising monthly bouts to discover new talents and engage the state boxers in regular competitions.