No fewer than 70 boxers have begun trials for placement in the team to represent Lagos State at the 18th National Sports Festival, scheduled to hold later in the year.

Lagos State is hosting the festival.

The boxers, drawn from 45 boxing clubs, participated in a two-day trial, organised by the Lagos State Amateur Boxing Association at the Mobolaji Johnson Sports Centre, Yaba.

The trials also constituted part of the Lagos State Inter-Clubs Championships, an initiative of Wale Oladunjoye, the Senior Special Assistant to Governor  Babatunde Fashola on Grassroots Sports Development

Wasiu Birisiryu, an assistant boxing coach in the state, told newsmen in Lagos, that the trials, which lasted for two days, would enable them to select outstanding boxers for the festival.

The coach warned the other participating states to be prepared to contend with Lagos’ boxers for the gold medals in all the weight categories.

He added: “We are prepared to sweep the medals in boxing; the state can boast of over 50 boxing clubs and I can say that we are blessed with lots of good boxers.

“With 70 boxers taking part in this trial, it means we are not taking any chances because we are targeting gold medals in all the categories.’’

The coach said that the boxers selected to represent the state would be screened to ensure their medical fitness.

He said that the state government gave the medical fitness of its boxers top priority, while the association ensured that all the boxers participating in the trials were certified fit.

Bisiriyu warned the boxers against taking performance enhancing drugs and to watch what they ate or drank as they could fail the doping tests if they did.

He lauded the state government for developing boxing and giving young boxers opportunities to showcase their talents.

The trials, involving male and female boxers, are spread over 10 weight categories, including 48, 52, 56, 60, 64, 69, 70, 75, 81 and 91 and kilogrammes.