Going, going... combat sports: Who’s to blame?

NO SPORTING activities have brought honour to this country like the combat sports; boxing and wrestling.
These two sporting activities were the first to bring respect and honour to the country during the past independent era.
  For instance, Nigeria won her first international recognition as a sovereign nation sports through Hogan Kid Bassey of blessed memory who won the World Welterweight Championship. His feat was quickly followed by his compatriot, Dick Tiger Ihetu also of blessed memory who won two world titles in the Middleweight and Light Heavyweight categories.
  Also Nigeria made serious impacts at the amateur level at international boxing circuits. Like the All African Games, Commonwealth Games and the Olympics. Her best at the international level in the amateur category came at the 1982 Olympic Games when Peter Konyegwachi won a Silver medal. Earlier before Konyegwachi’s feat which was Nigeria’s first Olympic Silver medal, Nojeem Maiyegun and Isaac Ikhuwria had won silver medals each in the previous Games. During the period, boxing was always a potential medal’s earner for Nigeria in international competitions.
  Nigerian boxer, Davidson Andeh won the Amateur World Boxing belt and that also ranked Nigeria among the best boxing nations in the world. Apart from Cuba (at the amateur level), United States and some South American countries, Nigeria earned respect as an outstanding boxing country in the world. In Africa, it was Nigeria and Ghana which produced the likes of Poison Cotey, the Clottey brothers of Judas Hector and Azuma zoom zoom Nelson that ranked highest in boxing in Africa.
  Regrettably, Nigeria’s domineering role in the game began to dwindle when expectations were high that Nigeria would soon take over the leadership of the game from the United States. Nigeria’s Ngozika Ekwelum,  an illustrious  son of Anambra state fought himself into recognition and became the hotest material in the Heavyweight category.  He was however stopped  in a very controversial circumstance by Proud Kilimanjaro  of Zambia. Ekwelum cried for government  recognition but no one listened to him, that led  to his early retirement from the game. 
  In wrestling, Nigeria was a force to reckon with. Late Chief Micheal Okpala (Power Mike) another son of Anambra  state won the World Heavyweight belt when he defeated a tough Wrestler named Alibaba of Lebanon. Chief Okpala’s exploits in wrestling not only brought unquantifiable honours to the country, but also popularized the game.  Many new talents joined the game and it was not long before Nigeria produced another world champion to the Light Heavyweight category, Tunde  Bamidele. After those feats, there was no going back for Nigerian wrestlers. In the  amateur cadre,  Nigeria’s Daniel Igali who fought for Canada won an Olympic gold medal in the Heavyweight category. At the latest count, Nigeria’s Power Uti, and Ifeanyi Ofor (Ultimate Commander) had both worn the World Heavyweight belts around their waists. Nigeria’s  Nightmare, Peter Okon won the world Heavyweight boxing championship and became the first African to do so.
  One can ask, where did the magic go to? Many reasons have been adduced for the dearth of combat sports in the country by analysts. They include, lack of competitions to put our boxers in proper shapes for competitions; In the past there were many boxing tournaments that kept boxers busy all year round, which had gone into state of comatose. For instance, the Eagles Belt Boxing Tournament was the biggest and most prestigious amateur boxing competition in the country  is now moribund. In those good old days, any boxer that won the Eagles belt was on his way to becoming a professional. Most of them made it to the world scene. Boxers like Obisia Nwakpa, Eddy Ndukwu, Billy Famous, Akin Anifowose, Davidson Andeh, Charles Nwokolo, Jerry Okorodudu, e.t.c terrorized the world of boxing after winning the Eagle Belt; all of them fought their ways to world reckoning.
  In various parts of the country in the early 80s and 90s, there were many boxing clubs that staged inter state boxing competitions among themselves. In the military, there were functional and well funded boxing and wrestling clubs that won laurels for the country. Even though they are still around, their scopes and activities have been reduced. The absence of these clubs however have not helped the development of combat sports in the country.
  There is dearth of promoters of combat sports in the country presently. During the period under review, there were many boxing and wrestling promotion outfits. Such outfits like the Power Mike International Promotion, Harridot International promotion, Osaile International Organization, all played important roles in promoting boxing and wrestling in the country. Presently all these promotional outfits are out of business.
  One can remember that it was the defunct Power Mike International Promotion that brought renowned world wrestlers to Nigeria for tournaments. Harridot International Promotions, it was that promoted the Obisia Nwankpa/Saol Mamby world title fight in Nigeria.
  Osaile promotions had the record of promoting many national and international fights which included the highly publicized Jerry Okorodudu/Joe Lasisi fight and the Abraham Tonica/Billy Savage showdown. Today, boxing is the worse for the absence of these organisations.
  In a telephone interview with Sportslight, Chief Martins Osaile, Chief Executive Officer of Osaile outfit popularly known as Nigeria's Don King, blamed the demise of these organizations on many factors, “First of all, I will blame the Government for the dearth of combat sports like boxing and wrestling in the country.  
  The appointment of people who know nothing about sports is one of the reasons. Most of the sports ministers we had in this country were not sports ministers but football ministers. They concentrate only on football which is where the bread were buttered. They do not initiate programmes for development of other sports and do not support the ones initiated by private   promoters. Promoters are in business, when they do not receive support from government and private organizations, they quit.
  “Again the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control, which supervises boxing in Nigeria is not doing anything, so also is the Nigeria Wrestling Federation. After the death of Group Captain Brai Ayonote, this country has not produced any other president that really has genuine interest in boxing. Even if they did, they did not know how to go about it and refused to seek help from those who know how”. Chief Osaile stated
  Another reason adduced for the poor showing of the country into the combat games is lack of interest by corporate organizations in the country. The Osaile promotions boss blamed it on dishonesty and lack of  political will to compel corporate organizations  in the country, especially the multi-nationals commit certain percentage of the profits to sports development, especially combat sports.  He explained that some of these organisations do show interest in football because it is an already established sector with large followership made possible by the overemphasis on it alone by our sports  administrators.
   He Said that “when 7up promoted the 7up Power Jam Wrestling competition, they staged it at all the geo-political zones of the country and the result was tremendous, wrestling became  very popular in the country, what stopped 7up and other organizations from doing it again for boxing and wrestling?” he queried.
  Another important point raised by Chief Osaile was the poor remuneration paid to our boxers. According to him no boxer would like to risk his life because of the paltry sum paid to our boxers.
   He  attributed it to the low followership of the game due to many years of neglect by sports administrators in the country. He cited  an example with the Floyd May Whether/Manny Pacquaio fight where none of the boxers collected less than 10million dollars,  the two boxers compared to their Nigerian counterparts who receives less than one hundred thousand Naira for a fight.
  He lamented the poor state of training facilities in the country and explained  that a situation such as that  does not allow new people to take to boxing no matter how talented they might be.
  He  commended ex-Olympian, Daniel Igali for the revolution he has brought to wrestling but added that government must do more than that to encourage the game at the professional level.
  Poor living conditions of retired boxers is another reason abduced by boxing pundits for the poor state of the game in the country.
  An ex-amatueur boxer, Romanus Ibeh said that no young man would want to take to boxing after seeing the pitiable conditions of ex-boxers in the country.
  According to Ibeh, no ex-boxer in Nigeria, except negligible few who are lucky to be appointed by the government can feed himself and take proper care of his family.
  He said that a situation like that discourages young men from taking to the game.
   The Imo state born ex-boxer  also explained that Nigerian boxers lack good medical facilities and insurance in case of a misfortune in the ring, “When a boxer climbs into the ring, he looks up to good medical facilities around, incase the  un-expected happens. He also thinks about what his family stands to gain or lose if  any misfortune befalls him. In Nigeria there is practically nothing on the ground for the boxer. You can not expect the Nigerian boxer to give his  best whether fighting at amateur or professional level”, Ibe conclude.
  All said and done, the truth is that the diwindling  fortunes of the country in the two combat  sports will continue unless something serious is done to make the games more lucrative and less hazardous  for the up-coming boxers.
  
by larry