Stakeholders Call for Sustained Investments, Stronger Partnerships as Panacea to Elevate African Boxing to Global Stage

Sunday Ehigiator 

Industry stakeholders have called for greater investment, stronger partnership and increased visibility in African boxing, insisting that the continent possesses an abundance of talent capable of competing at the highest levels of the sport if given the right opportunities and exposure.

The call was made recently in Lagos by the Founder of NEffect Mode Ltd and manager of Nigerian boxer Appah Godday, Osaze Bazuu; the Chief Executive Officer of Balmoral Group and promoter of the popular boxing event, Chaos in the Ring, Ezekiel Adamu, during the official presentation of the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Africa cruiserweight and super lightweight title belts to Nigerian boxers, Appah Godday and Basit Adebayo.

The event celebrated the emergence of the two Nigerian champions and highlighted growing efforts by private sector operators to position Nigeria as a major force in continental and global boxing.

Speaking at the ceremony, Bazuu described the title presentations as a testament to what can be achieved when talented athletes are provided with the right support and opportunities.

“Today’s presentation is more than a celebration of achievement; it is a statement about the future of Nigerian athletes and their ability to compete and succeed on the global stage. These champions have demonstrated tremendous dedication and determination,” he said.

According to him, the achievements of Appah Godday and Basit Adebayo, alongside fellow Nigerian boxer Taiwo Agbaje, reflect the growing recognition of Nigerian boxing on the African continent and beyond.

Bazuu noted that while boxing remains one of the most demanding sports, the success of Nigerian fighters proves that local athletes can thrive internationally when provided with adequate management, exposure and institutional support.

On his part, Adamu lamented the lack of a structured pathway for the development of many Nigerian athletes, saying the situation has contributed to the migration of sporting talents to foreign countries where they often receive better support and recognition.

“Nigeria and Africa don’t lack talent. What we consistently lack is a proper platform and infrastructure around us.

“We know that we have to sometimes fight for our own opportunities in Nigeria and these fighters are also pushing to make ends meet for their families, but most especially make Nigeria proud.

“Over the years, what you find is that footballers, tennis players and other athletes have to fly out of the country to get global visibility. What we’ve done with Balmoral Promotions is that we’ve brought that global visibility to Nigeria.

“We have DAZN global boxing backing us, showing all our fights to a global audience.”

Adamu explained that through Chaos in the Ring, Balmoral Promotions is working to bridge the gap in Nigeria’s boxing ecosystem by creating opportunities for local fighters to gain international visibility without leaving the country.

According to him, the platform has helped expose Nigerian boxing talents to a global audience while contributing to the development of domestic boxing infrastructure.

He said boxing remains one of the most underexplored career opportunities for young Nigerians despite its immense potential to create wealth, employment and international recognition.

“Most Nigerians only have limited exposure to career opportunities in sports. If it is not football or music, many people do not see the possibilities. Boxing is still largely untapped and presents huge opportunities,” he said.

Highlighting some of the successes recorded under the promotion outfit, Adamu said several fighters who began their careers on the platform are now continental champions and gaining global recognition.

“Basit Adebayo was one of our first fighters that we signed. He was 19 at that time. At the moment, he is the current WBO African Youth Champion. He’s also the current WBO lightweight champion as well.

“Taiwo Agbaje is ranked number 43 in the world and recently won the WBO All-African title. So, we have African champions across different weight categories and we are building bit by bit.”

The boxing promoter further disclosed that Chaos in the Ring generated about 4.2 billion impressions globally across television and digital platforms, a feat he attributed to the event’s innovative blend of sports and entertainment.

“We are targeting at least six billion impressions on the next show. It’s a bigger card and a stronger event. We learned from the last one as well and we don’t want the momentum to die. That’s the reason we are bringing up another event immediately,” he said.

Adamu announced that the next edition of Chaos in the Ring will take place on July 31, 2026, with the official fight card expected to be unveiled on June 15.

Speaking on the challenge of producing more world-class fighters, particularly in the heavyweight division, Adamu maintained that talent is not Nigeria’s problem.

“Nigeria, Africa, we don’t lack talent. What we consistently lack is a proper platform and infrastructure around us. Once that proper infrastructure is there, trust me, you’ll get a lot more fighters coming through,” he said.

He revealed that his organisation recently signed a promising heavyweight boxer whom he believes has the potential to become a world champion in the future.

“Our vision is that we want to host a world championship fight not outside Nigeria, but here in Nigeria,” he added.

Also speaking at the event, WBO Africa cruiserweight champion Appah Godday said he chose to continue building his professional boxing career in Nigeria because the opportunities he once sought abroad are increasingly becoming available at home.

“Whatever I am looking for to become a world champion is already in Nigeria.

“Seeing what Mr. Ezekiel is doing with this platform convinced me that this is where I need to be. The visibility, the broadcast and the opportunities are here. This is the right platform.”

Appah, who previously represented Nigeria at international amateur competitions, said local fighters now have a greater chance of achieving global recognition without permanently relocating abroad.

For the stakeholders, the emergence of new African champions and the growing international attention being attracted by local boxing events signal a promising future for the sport.

They, however, stressed that sustained investment, stronger partnerships and increased visibility remain critical if Nigeria and Africa are to fully unlock their vast boxing potential and produce more world champions in the years ahead.