By Augustine Kalu on December 29, 2016

Former national, African and Commonwealth boxing champion, Obisia Nwankpa has come hard on boxing promoters in the country for what he described as orchestrated plan to impoverish and kill the noble game of boxing in Nigeria.

He said he had to speak out because what was happening was that these promoters are pretending to be promoting boxing whereas they are killing the game in the country because of what they are giving boxers as prize money for a boxing champion in the country in any of their promotional tournaments.

Nwankpa, the past National boxing coach explained that boxing by way of definition is a ‘noble act of self defense’.  He said with this definition it was very clear that the game was for noble people and that what makes it noble in the actual sense of it is the prize money involved in any boxing game. The Abia State-born pugilist said there was no way you pay a boxer a mere N70, 000 or N100, 000 and say that such a game is noble.

“I would want to start by saying that it is very sad what is happening to the noble game of boxing in this country,” Nwankpa declared.

“The standard and money involved in is nothing to write home about. It is important to state clearly here by way of definition that ‘boxing is a noble act of self defense’.

“Therefore, if the game is noble, the purse or prize money should also be noble. You can’t tell me that by offering or giving a champion of a boxing tournament a paltry sum of N70, 000 or at most N100, 000 the game is noble. If the game is noble the purse should also be noble.

“In the actual sense of it, it is the prize money that makes the game noble. In terms of money in sports, boxing has no rival and that is why it is the number one sports. It is because of the money involved that places boxing on that pedestal. So, it does not make sense what the Nigerian promoters are doing.

“Look, it is very clear that Nigerians don’t like being told the truth but I must tell them the truth. You see, all my life I have not done another job except boxing. So, nobody will tell that the best way to promote the game in the county is though this orchestrated plan of impoverishing Nigerians by offering ground-nut money as prize money. It is unacceptable.

“You see, the biggest challenge we have in this country is that we hate the truth. And in one way or the other somebody must say the truth and it is that truth that I am saying.

“It is the prize money involved that make boxing to have a lot of following. There are a lot of people who follow a boxer and it is because of the purse, the prize money that people follow boxers and work for them.

“During my time as a boxer, the least money that I used to get was $5,000. Today what is the worth of $5,000? During our days as boxers, we used to travel to London and United States of America for training. With what the promoters are paying the boxers, how many of them would be able to pick a flight ticket to travel to either London or the USA for training? During our time we used to do that at will and when we get there they welcome us well because they know us.

“During my time I leaved welled. As a boxer, I owned three new cars, Peugeot 505, Renault and BMW cars, all of them brand new. Can any of our current boxers in this country afford a fairly used car? From where will that person get the money to buy a car not to talk of owning more than one car?

“If actually the promoters are out to promote the game, they should substantially improve the purse of their boxing tournaments. They should not be hanging around the game in the name of promoting it while in the actual sense they are killing it.

“Look, like I said earlier, I have never done any other job all my life except boxing. So, I know what I am talking about. I was No.1 contender in World Boxing Control (WBC), in Superlight Weight category. I remained No.1 contender for two years 1980-82. I was the first African to win Elimination Bout in that weight category because that is where the Europeans and the Americans used to edge Africans out; but I not only survived it but also won to become the No.1 contender for the Superlight Weight for two years.

“My advice to the promoters is that if actually they are out to promote boxing in the country, they should do the right thing by improving the prize money for their tournaments and make the game attractive for people to desire to come to it,” Nwankpa said.  

•Photo shows Obisia Nwankpa

Source Daily Sports

Posted December 29, 2016

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