Enugu: Talent hunt coordinator presents awards to 17 boxers

The Coordinator, Enugu State Grassroots Boxing Talent Hunt, Mr Ikechukwu Okoronkwo, has presented N10,000 award to each of the talented boxers uncovered during the 2022 boxing competition.

Okoronkwo said this at a news briefing as part of the activities marking the grand finale of the competition.

He said that the boxers were identified in the 17 Local Government Areas of the state.

“We also have four boxers that their International Passport are still being processed by the Nigeria Immigration Service,” he said.

He listed the boxers to include Chinaza Okoronkwo, Zoe Okoronkwo, Isreal Ogbodo and Chinagorom Ngwu.

According to him, the boxers would have travelled outside the country after undergoing the 2022 U-18 trial for world youth boxing championship.

“The boxers could not travel because they have yet to obtain their International Passport and we do not want such scenerio to happen again,” Okoronkwo said.

Mr Akwene Chidiobi, the Special Adviser to the Speaker, Enugu State House of Assembly, Mr Edward Ubosi, said that the exercise had produced many boxers for the state.

“The most important aspect of this exercise is that some youths, who do not have interest in football, discovered their talent in boxing.

“From this exercise, we have uncovered good and quality boxers and believe they will represent the state and country and also ply thier trade outside the country.

“One of our major challenges to this exercise was getting the parents approval for their children to go into boxing,” Chidiobi, who represented the speaker, said.

Enugu State boxing coach, Blaise Ude, described boxing as a discipline sport that directs the youths focus and behaviour.

“Sports is a tool that keeps the youths away from mischief and we have to keep discovering and harnessing it to give them a focus in life,” Ude said.

A boxer, Chukwuebuka Azodo, thanked the coordinator and speaker for their humanitarian services in the state.

Azodo said that people needed to give back to society from what the society made them to become.

He called on government at all levels to pay greater attention to sports in the state.