Lagos State Boxing Association fetes victorious Edo 2020 pugilists

The Lagos State Boxing Association at the weekend held a welcome reception for its boxers who were victorious at the recently concluded 20th edition of the National Sports Festival, tagged Edo 2020.

The reception for the team held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium, Lagos.

The Lagos State contingent dominated the boxing event of the sports festival, winning five gold, two silver and one bronze medals in Benin City.

Speaking at the reception, Jenkins Alumona, Chairman of LSBA, congratulated the boxers for putting up a spectacular show and towering above their counterparts from other states by the amount of medals won.

He also commended the boxers for being professional, and representing the state in shining colours throughout the festival. He also lauded the team’s Head Coach, Waidi Sobaloju, and the other coaches for preparing the boxers to success despite being faced with numerous challenges.

Alumona disclosed that in collaboration with the Lagos State Sports Commission, the LSBA has drawn up a plan to keep the state boxers engaged every month rather than waiting for competitions to prepare them.

He said: “What you boxers have done is to set the ball rolling. Working with the Sports Commission, our plan is to change the face of boxing in the state.

We are blessed to have a very strong board, people who have shown that they are a team of action, alongside the Sports Commission.

“Moving forward, one thing I can promise you is that we are not going to be waiting for sports festival before we take action. The technical and planning committee of your board has sent a proposal to the Sports Commission and once it is approved, there is no month you won’t be doing something. Our boxers, we are working very hard for you because you have shown us that with support, you can do very well.”

Alumona, however, tasked the boxers to match the action of the administrators by remaining professional and be of good conduct at all times.

He also disclosed that the package the association has for the boxers will only be revealed after Babajide Sanwo-Olu, Governor of Lagos State, hosts the entire Lagos State contingent to the festival.

Also speaking, Sola Aiyepeku, Chairman of the Lagos State Sports Commission, lauded the boxers for their performance at the festival. He also congratulated the coaches and the LSBA for ensuring they prepared the boxing team adequately for the event.

Aiyepeku also disclosed that the commission is already planning for the next sports festival, scheduled to hold next year in Delta State.