Sports
150 Spectators To Be Allowed In GOtv Boxing Night
Organisers of GOtv Boxing Night 22, Flykite Productions, say no more than 150 fans will be allowed in for the event in Lagos today.
The CEO of Flykite, Jenkins Alumona, said on Tuesday in Lagos, the decision was to allow in only a limited number of fans in line with Covid-19 safety protocols.
Tidesports source reports that the event will hold at the Mobolaji Johnson Indoor Sports Hall at Rowe Park.
The event, which hosts seven bouts, including two World Boxing Federation (WBF) title fights, had initially been billed to be held behind closed doors.
“Physical distancing requirement and other safety measures will be fully implemented at the venue.
“We have decided to allow fans to watch the event at the venue. However, a limited number of fans, specifically 150, will be allowed in to ensure that the physical distancing measure is enforced.
“As much as we want fans to witness the event, we can only allow a few. So, the first 150 to arrive will be admitted,” he said.
The Flykite CEO warned that they would not exceed that figure because that was the proper thing to do.
He added that it was in view of this that only 150 tickets at N1,000 each would be available for purchase.
“Fans who do not make the cut will watch from home.
“The boxing fiesta which promises to be explosive will be broadcast live on DStv Channel 209 and Super Sport Select 2 Channel 34 on GOtv,” Alumona said.
Tideaports also gathered that the event’s main bouts will see Nigeria’s Rilwan “Real One,” Oladosu taking on Ghana’s Emmanuel, “Afuko Addo,” Quartey for the WBF super featherweight title.
His compatriot, Rilwan “Baby Face” Babatunde, will face Tanzania’s Mkalekwa Salehe Omari for the WBF welterweight title.
In the light heavyweight division, Timothy Gonze will take on Segun “Success” Olanrewaju in a challenge duel.
The super middleweight category will see Femi “Small Tyson” Akintayo take on Sulaimon “Olags” Adeosun.
Microbiology graduate Sikiru “Omo Iya Eleja” Shogbesan will face Yusuf “Innocent” Ogunbunmi in the super featherweight category.
The welterweight division, which is the most represented on the fighting card for the night, will have two other clashes.
They have Sikiru “Lion” Ogabi against William “Kaki” Amosu, and Isaac “I-Star” Chukwudi against Taiwo “Gentle Boy” Olowolafe.
The best boxer on the night will win a cash prize of N1 million, alongside the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy.
A well-known football pundit in the State, Chief Christopher Okonkwo has lauded the efforts and vision of the Super Eagles Coach Eric Chelle for going from one venue of the Nigeria Domestic Nigeria Professional Football League match to the other in monitoring Nigerian players, with a view to invite some exceptional good one discovered into the main stream of the Super Eagles team.
Okonkwo, who made the commendation in an interview at the Port Harcourt Club recently, described the positive move by Coach Chelle as a good step in the right direction, noting that the practice was how its been done in the past among any contracted coach assigned to tinker the Super Eagles team.
“Truly, it has been an old tradition in the country seeing any newly engaged Coach to lead the National team, visiting some our Nigeria League venues during the league matches to spot light some good talents that could be used to beef up some grey areas in the department of Eagles team”
He, however, frowned at the current situation where our coaches had continously been over depending on the use of foreign based players during invitation of players to the National camp, thereby, relegating the domestic home based league players to the background as if they have nothing much to offer to the team.
“I can vividly recall that the likes of great players in the mode of Finidi George, Taribo West, Kanu Nwankwo, Austin Okocha, Richard Owobokiri, Emmanuel Osuigwe among others started from Nigeria football league before they graduated to play in Europe through which they later invited to Super Eagles camp to represent Nigeria”
“Besides, I’m also of the view that going to secondary school football competitive games could equally serves as a a good platform to discover budding talents that could be nurtured to become great stars in near future”, Okonkwo frankly added.
Okonkwo, therefore, prayed that any football coach to be engaged by the Nigeria Football Federation (NFF) to tinker the Super Eagles should be told not to confine himself in staying in big hotel alone but to be visiting some of our local league match venues, with a view to discover some good players that can be drafted into the Super Eagles team.
“Indeed, I stand to be challenged that there some young good players in the Nigeria Professional League. If spotted and exposed, could give the some of the invited foreign based players a stiff competitive fight in securing a postion in the team”, Okonkwo emphatically stated.
Ezechukwu, one of the youngest members of the Nigerian contingent at the championship in Ghana, said her ambition was to win the 100m title in style and cap it with a new personal record.
The fresh secondary school graduate explained that she is fully focused on contributing to Team Nigeria’s medal hopes and is determined to deliver strong performances across her events.
“My main objective in Ghana is to clinch the 100m title and the 4×100m,” Ezechukwu told Tidesports source.
“Nigeria can be assured of my very best and my commitment to the Team. I would love to set a new personal best in Ghana, but anything that comes, I will take it. The spirit in the team is high, and I think we are ready to go,” she said.
Ezechukwu, who was part of Nigeria’s women’s 4x100m relay squad at the World Relays in Botswana, said the experience gained from that competition has strengthened her mindset heading into the continental championships.
She admitted that she learned valuable lessons from her previous outing, including a difficult moment during the relay where an early error affected the team’s rhythm, but said she has used the experience to improve her discipline and composure.
“The secret is just being disciplined, training hard and trusting my coach and believing in God, and the result will show,” she added.
The teenager is part of a 41-member Nigerian team comprising 24 female and 17 male athletes competing at the championships, which begin today at the University of Ghana, Legon.
Nigeria are expected to compete across multiple track and field events as they aim for a strong finish against the continent’s elite athletes.
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