Former national boxing coach, Pa George Anyawu has expressed optimism that the completion of abandoned boxing facilities at the national stadium, Lagos by the General Ken Minima-led Nigerian Amateur Boxing Federation, would usher in a new era for the sports.

Pa Anyanwu, a one time coach of the Nigerian Army boxing team thanked General Minima for completing the hostel in the complex and hoped that the Ayonote Gym would witness a facelift with state of the art equipment. “I am so happy that abandoned facilities at the Boxing Village began by late Brai Ayonote, have been completed. Boxers now have a home to train in and this is a new beginning for boxing,” he stated, adding, “it is of note that the complex, which was started by a military officer and abandoned has been completed by another military officer. So I would like to commend General Minima for this effort. It is my belief that boxing will boom again as we had under Col. White Ukor and Brai Ayonote.”

Work on the facility, especially the abandoned hostel, began early this year undertaken by men of Nigeria Army engineers from the Abalti Barracks in Surulere, Lagos.
Anyanwu believes that having a place of their own to train, rest and camp for competitions, would improve the technique of boxers, which can dove-tail into better performances international competitions
The boxing complex is also where one of the country’s boxing greats, Hogan Bassey is buried.

Meanwhile Pa Anyanwu has also hailed Nigeria’s boxing team to the just concluded 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland for picking three bronze medals, noting that “the feat was done purely on the athlete’s own determination to win laurels for the country.  “I did no hear of any serious camping for them before the games. I was told they were camped for just three weeks. That means if they were given better incentives and put through a planned programme, they would have achieve more.
“I am appealing to both the Nigeria Amateur Boxing Federation and National Sports Commission to de-emphasize the current policy of participating in competitions  without adequate planning and development programmes,” he added.