The combined Nigerian boxing team would converge on Wednesday at the Brai Ayonote Gym inside the National Stadium for the 2021 Olympic qualifier games in Japan.
According to the Nigeria Boxing Federation, (NBF), the Champion of Champions boxing extravaganza will start at 5.00 p.m.
NBF Secretary-General, Sunny Obot, said that the boxers, 16 men and 10 women, were carefully selected by the federation’s technical committee on merit and in accordance with their recent performances, both locally and internationally.
The NBF commended its president, General Kenneth Minimah, for ensuring that Nigerian boxers were gainfully engaged after the ease of the coronavirus pandemic lockdown that crippled global sporting and economic activities.
The one-day event will feature 13 bouts with Lagos State’s Smith Afolabi taking on Yusuf Abayomi Kasali of Ogun State in the 52kg weight category, while Yusuf Adedeji of Delta will meet Michael Adeosun of Lagos in the 57 kg weight class.
In other bouts, Delta’s Aliu Ibrahim faces Yinusa Mujib of Edo in the 63kg weight category; the heavyweight division will see Franklin Arinze slugging it out with Innocent Ebiwarieme in an all Delta affair in 91 kg weight class, just as Aishat Oriyomi of Lagos and Caroline Linus of Akwa Ibom will meet in the women 51km division.
Elizabeth Oshoba and Juliet Ukah will trade blows in the 57kg women, Falilat Tijani Lagos meets Yetunde Odunuga of Delta in the 60kg category, while Bolanle Shogbamu of Ogun and Aishat Abdulwahab of Delta will battle in the 69kg weight category.
The NBF said a panel of judges will select the best men and women boxers to be crowned the champion of champions after the bouts.
Afeez Osoba of Lagos has a date with Osita Umeh of Delta in the 69kg class; Korede Adedeji of Delta will face Ubi Oboro of Cross River in the 75kg weight class, while Ebele Danukolo of Kogi will slug it out with Oladimeji Salami of Bayelsa in 81kg, while Adebayo Imoleayo from Delta State will engage Solomon Chibuike of Anambra State in a +91 weight category bout (Super Heavyweight).
