GOtv boxing night 14: WABU president lauds sponsors

The West African Boxing Union (WABU) has commended pay-television service provider, GOtv, for its continuous support for Nigerian boxing through GOtv Boxing Night, which is its 14th edition, and GOtv Boxing NextGen Search, a talent hunt initiative.

Speaking in Lagos yesterday, Mr. Remi Aboderin, WABU President and Secretary-General, Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), said Nigerian boxing owes its return to vitality to the immense support provided by GOtv since 2014 when GOtv Boxing Night 14 debuted.

Aboderin, a former boxing promoter, recalled that before GOtv Boxing Night began, promotions had dried up, leaving boxers inactive. The situation, he explained, damaged the chances of promising boxers, who had no outlet for their talents.

“We were in a bad place before GOtv Boxing Night began. There were no promotions and our promising boxers lost the opportunity to fight. The few who fought did so infrequently and earned so little for their efforts. Now, things have changed and very fast too. Boxers are fighting more regularly and are testing themselves against the best in the West African sub-region and Africa as a whole.

“They are earning considerably better sums. The country has also produced many sub-regional and three continental champions in different weight categories,” said Aboderin.

He urged other corporate organisations to emulate GOtv, so that Nigerian boxing can develop faster. The WABU President stated that Nigeria has talented boxers.