Sports
Why Boxing Sports Cannot Develop Without Corporate Support— Otunola
UnBoxx Boxing Promotions Managing Director, Bernard Otunolahas told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos on Wednesday that the business world should come to change the fortunes of boxing in Nigeria. He said that much was needed from them in the areas of funding events for the progress of the boxing sports.He said that boxing in Nigeria was crawling compared to countries like Ghana, South Africa, and other African countries.
The UnBoxx promoter said that there were plans underway to organize a boxing event soon that would see the best of homegrown talents.He expressed discontent with the challenges facing boxing and would like to use every opportunity to appeal to boxing fans to key into the idea.
There are a high growing number of boxing fans in NetBet Nigeria, therefore, the corporate world need not worry about their investment as it would yield awesome interest for them. “In my own opinion, until we have boxing bouts every other weekend then we can say we are making progress. As a boxing promoter, one big challenge facing the sport is just accessing funds to promote boxing fights, lack of sponsors has crippled the sport. There is so much attention on football as if it is the only major sport that can bring glory and honor to our fatherland,” Otunola said.
“We have quality boxers here in Nigeria that can make the country proud, but withoutorganizing events for them to showcase their skills, how can they really be developed?“Recently a former world boxing champion, Anthony Joshua, was in Nigeria but those who handled his visit did not allow him to visit the heart of boxing in Nigeria.“AJ’s profile if well packaged can do well to attract the right people to the sport but unfortunately things did not go that way,” Otunola said.
Meanwhile, Rilwan “Real One,” Oladosu, the West African Boxing Union (WABU) Lightweight champion, on Monday said he was ready to defeat Hammed Ganiyu “Ese Hammed” at the GoTv Boxing Night 19.He said that the lightweight category had the best boxers and it remained the most competitive with tough and hard-punching boxers like Joe Boy (Oto Joseph), Berinja (Tope Agboola), Hamzat Mubarak and Hammed.
The boxer said they were his rivals and was ready to fight any of them anytime, adding that he still had respect for them.The Oladosu/Hammed clash which comes up July 21 among six other fights would hold at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.Oladosutold the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that he was aware of the expectations of his fans and assured them of victory.
“This is my target, but first my focus is on the fight coming up on July 21, where I will crush Hammed,’’ Oladosu said. The coming GOtv Boxing Night 19 is sponsored by Multichoice Nigeria Plc and will be headlined by the international Welterweight challenge between reigning West African Boxing Union welterweight fight.
“These guys and many more in the Lightweight division are very talented and they make the division a very interesting one because they work hard to achieve their results.“I have the desire to challenge for the African belt and dethrone the current holder Joe Boy who happens to be a Nigerian.
The current champion, Nigeria’s Rilwan “Babyface” Babatunde will face Eden Biki of Ghana.The event will also feature prominent professional boxers in the country competing in different weight categories; Tope “TP Rock” Musa will face Kazeem “The Light” Oliwo in a national champion duet.
Tope “Berinja” Agboola will face reigning African Boxing Union (ABU) lightweight champion, Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph.Former ABU Featherweight title champion, Waidi “Skoro” Usman, returning to action faces Taiwo “Esepo” Agbaje in a national challenge contest.In the Light Welterweight division, Akeem “Sugar Boy” Olaiwola will square it up with Waheed “Showmax” Shogbamu, while Adeyemi “Spirit” Adekanla will take on Isaac “I Star” Chukwudi
Team Nigeria finished sixth on the overall medals table at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games, falling short of the National Sports Commission’s ambitious target after ending the competition with 23 medals, comprising 10 gold, seven silver and six bronze
The tally represents a shortfall against the lofty expectations set before the Games.
Director General of the Commission, Bukola Olopade, had projected that Nigeria could surpass the 18-gold target set by the Elite Athletes Podium Finish initiative to win as many as 22 gold medals, citing structural reforms under NSC chairman Shehu Dikko and backing from President Bola Tinubu.
Nigeria’s confidence had been rooted in its performance at the 2022 Birmingham Games, where the country recorded its most successful outing with 35medals, comprising 12 gold, nine silver and 14 bronze, to finish seventh overall.
While the final gold count of 10 fell well short of the 22 projected and even the eighteen baseline target, and the overall medal haul of 23 was down on the 35 won in Birmingham, Team Nigeria’s campaign in Glasgow nonetheless produced several standout moments across a broader spread of disciplines than in previous editions, with medals arriving from athletics, judo, weightlifting, para athletics, para powerlifting and swimming.
Samuel Ogazi delivered Nigeria’s first-ever Commonwealth Games gold in the men’s 400m, powering to victory in 44.25 seconds, while Ezekiel Nathaniel added another gold in the men’s 400m hurdles in 48.47 seconds. Chukwuebuka Enekwechi became the first Nigerian to win the men’s shot put title at the Games with a throw of 21.07m, and further medals came from Ella Onojuvwevwo, who claimed bronze in the women’s 400m to end a wait dating back to 1994, Ruth Usoro, who won silver in the long jump, Udodi Onwuzurike, who took silver in the men’s 200m, and Kayinsola Ajayi, whose bronze in the men’s 100m ended a twenty-year wait for Nigeria in the event. The men’s 4x100m relay team and the mixed 4x400m relay quartet both closed out the athletics programme with bronze medals, while the women’s 4x100m team finished sixth.
Beyond the track, Enku Ekuta ended a 24-year wait for a Nigerian judo medal at the Commonwealth Games with bronze in the women’s -63kg category, a result hailed as one of the most symbolic achievements of the campaign given the sport’s long struggle to convert domestic talent into podium finishes.
The Commission had sought to keep morale high throughout the Games with an enhanced welfare package.
NSC chairman Shehu Dikko had announced an upward review of bonuses partway through the competition, raising the reward for gold medallists to 10,000 dollars, comprising 5,000 dollars in instant cash and 5,000 dollars paid directly into their accounts, up from an initial structure of 8,000 dollars. Silver medallists received 5,000 dollars, made up of 2,000 dollars in instant cash and 3,000 dollars paid into their accounts, while bronze medallists received 3,000 dollars, comprising 1,000 dollars in instant cash and 2,000 dollars paid into their accounts.
Coaches whose athletes won gold were also entitled to a 5,000-dollar incentive, on top of daily allowances of 200 dollars for athletes and 250 dollars for coaches.
Despite the increased incentives and the individual milestones recorded across several disciplines, Team Nigeria’s sixth-place finish and gold medal count leave the Commission short of the record-breaking outing it had targeted before the Games, setting up questions for officials over preparation and investment as the country looks ahead to future global multi-sport events.
Nigerian professional wrestler, Oba Femi, defeated former UFC and WWE champion, Brock Lesnar, in a brutal Hell in a Cell match at WWE SummerSlam on Saturday night, earning one of the biggest victories of his career.
The contest, held at US Bank Stadium in Minneapolis, Minnesota, saw the Lagos-born wrestler overcome Lesnar in his first-ever Hell in a Cell appearance.
Femi took the fight to Lesnar from the opening bell, surviving multiple German suplexes, a Tombstone onto exposed wooden boards beneath the ring and several attacks with steel steps before countering with two chokeslams.
The match reached its climax after Lesnar attempted to use a steel chair, but Femi knocked it from his grip with a stiff right hand before delivering his signature Fall From Grace to secure the victory.
Following the bout, Lesnar embraced Femi, took a microphone and publicly endorsed the Nigerian star.
Declaring himself the past and Femi the future of WWE, Lesnar praised his opponent in front of the SummerSlam crowd.
Reacting to the moment, Femi admitted he did not expect the show of respect from his longtime rival.
“The hug and public endorsement was definitely a shock, and I didn’t see that coming.
“I know that deep down, Brock has always respected me, and he knows that deep down, I respect him as well,” Femi said.
The victory continues an impressive breakthrough year for the Nigerian wrestler, who defeated Lesnar at WrestleMania 42 in April before winning the 2026 King of the Ring tournament in June.
Their SummerSlam clash was the culmination of a months-long rivalry that saw Lesnar return from an apparent retirement to attack Femi before defeating him in a rematch at Clash in Italy.
South Africa national team head coach Hugo Broos has left his position after five years in charge, with South African Football Association (SAFA) president Danny Jordaan confirming the Belgian’s departure at the weekend.
Broos’ contract officially expired last Friday, bringing an end to his tenure, which began in May 2021 after Bafana Bafana failed to qualify for the Africa Cup of Nations.
The 74-year-old coach leaves behind a period that included several notable achievements for South Africa.
Under Broos, Bafana Bafana finished third at the 2023 AFCON, which was eventually staged in early 2024 in Ivory Coast after being postponed.
He also guided the team to the knockout stage of the 2026 FIFA World Cup in the United States, Mexico and Canada, marking South Africa’s first appearance beyond the group stage at the tournament.
The qualification itself ended a 24-year wait for Bafana Bafana, who had last featured at the World Cup in 2010 as hosts. Their 2026 appearance was their first since that tournament.
Broos had previously indicated that his departure from the national team was settled.
Speaking to the media after the World Cup, Broos said his decision to leave the Bafana Bafana job was irreversible, citing his desire to spend more time with his family. However, he also
expressed a willingness to take up another position within SAFA.
His comments sparked uncertainty, with SAFA initially releasing a statement denying that Broos had already stepped down.
Further speculation followed when reports emerged that the coach had been offered a one-year contract extension. SAFA subsequently issued another statement insisting that no extension had been finalised.