The Vice President of the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF),Ibrahim Zango  has commended the federation President, Kenneth Minimah for his genuine interest in developing boxing in Nigeria.

Zango who has been in Lagos since last week ahead of the first edition of the Kenneth Minimah  National men and women Open Boxing Championship/2015 All Africa Games  trials which began in Lagos yesterday, said he was overwhelmed by the large turn out of boxers for the Championship even at the shortest notice. “This has been our prayer for Nigerian Boxing. Somebody that has the interest to develop the Sport.

And with just  two years in office as president of Nigeria Boxing,  Minimah  has raised the standard of the Nigeria Boxing to greater heights. He used his personal fund to sponsor Team Nigeria to  Cameroun  where the country won  2 gold and 1 bronze medal.

He also sponsored Nigeria team to the African Boxing congress held in Togo.  All in an effort to reposition boxing in the country”.

“For instance, in 2010, Nigerian Boxing team went to  2010 Commonwealth Games in New Delhi, India  without winning a single medal but  four years  later, our boxers under the leadership of  Minimah  went to the  2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow,  and won  3 medals  which was a great improvement when compared with their  2010  outing in  India.

And now, the same  Minimah  is sponsoring another National Championship from where boxers that will represent Nigeria at the forthcoming 2015  All Africa Games  in  Congo Brazaville  in  September  will be selected”,  Zango  stated.

Adding that all the boxers that registered for the tournament have since been given subsidy for their upkeep throughout the duration of the Championship in addition with the souvenirs already set aside for them to go home with.

Above all, the  Brai Ayenote hostel  that has been abandoned for over  20 years  now has been completed and ready for use.

The vice president also hinted that all the officials for this Championship have been given free accommodation for one week by  Minimah  whose ultimate aim is to establish  three  standing Nigerian Boxing team for International competitions from this trials.

And  three seasoned coaches  have been given the task to select the boxers who may not necessarily emerge tops in their various weight categories, but must have shown promises of a better future.

The assigned coaches according to him are also acting as independent assessors at the ongoing  Championship  so that their job will not clash with that of the employed National coaches, the  Vice President  informed.