By Ben Efe
Efforts at discov-ering boxing talents with potentials to win medals at the London 2012 Olympics is yielding results, as “Gloves for Gold 2012” unfolds the first in the series of boxing tournaments geared towards producing young pugilists for the country.

PUNCHING LINE.... Amateur boxers doing their thing during an Olympic bout.

The tournament is billed for March 24-30 in Abuja and at the last count 20 States have registered to participate in the competition open to all amateur boxers. “Glove for Gold 2012′ is a private initiative promoted by Henry Zini a former national amateur boxer in association with Daar Communications. Its primary goal is to discover boxers from the programmed tournaments and then groom the selected boxers ahead of the Olympics.

“We have received an overwhelming intent of participation by the States for the tournament so far. And we are looking forward to running the tournaments and discovering young boxers, that could be trained between now and the Olympics.

“We have a well laid down training programme that include sending selected boxers for training tours abroad. With this we are hopeful that Nigeria should be able to present a crack squad for the Olympics 2012 and beyond,”said Mr Zini initiator of the programme.

He said that tournament is been organized in conjunction with the Federal Capital Territory boxing council, where Gloves for Gold 2012 has been registered as a club, adding that the Nigeria Boxing Federation has also sanctioned the tournament.