Sports

Bash Ali won’t give up on Guinness World Record Boxing Title

Published

3 years ago

August 31, 2023

Former World Boxing Federation (WBF) cruiserweight champion, Bashiru Ali, popularly known as Bash Ali, has expressed his determination not to give up on his Guinness World Record (GWR) which will make him the oldest boxer in history to fight and defend his title.

Ali, 67, whose last fight was against Tony Booth in 2004, in a release he personally signed and titled “Bash Ali: The Dream Waiting To Happen Can Never Be Killed”, and made available to Tribune Sports, said he would never give up on his dreams but rather make sure that the fight becomes a reality.

Ali, who has had more than 80 fights with 46 knockouts (KOs) under his belt, described himself as an extraordinary man who is set to “accomplish my dream and continue to fight till I am 70 years old, retire young and healthy with a lot of money.”

He said if were to be a white man, his dream and ambition would have seen the light of the day and would have been supported without a second thought in order to rewrite boxing history.

“Dreams, they say hardly die. It is not for fun that 17 years ago, African Boxing Ambassador, Nigeria’s Bashiru Lawrence Ali’s (OON) dream of becoming the Guinness World Record Boxing Champion refused to die. Many have given up on their dreams or even died with it, however, for Bash Ali, the man has remained on course until the mark is made.

“There are many doubting Thomases, who have dismissed this dream with a wave of the hand, wondering if he wants to kill himself in the adventure. Those who want to listen to themselves speak on the initiative, would prefer he be stopped in his tracks.

“Being a man of conviction that Bash is, I know that many people give up on their dreams and die with it but I am an extraordinary man. I will accomplish my dream and continue to fight till I am 70 years old, retire young and healthy with a lot of money, and then go into politics and become the President of Nigeria.

“If Bash Ali were to be a white man living in the West, his dream and ambition would have seen the light of the day, despite the assertion of those against the dream. Older persons desirous of fulfilling an ambition in the west and other saner climes would have been supported without a second thought in order to rewrite boxing history,” the statement read in part.

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Sports

Plateau Vipers, Benue Queens Crowned Champions at HFN North Central Division One Tourney

Published

12 hours ago

October 3, 2026

The Gleamer

Joel Ajayi

The President of the Handball Federation of Nigeria (HFN), Jibril Seidu, has said the federation will continue to intensify its grassroots talent development drive through zonal competitions across the country.

Seidu stated this on Saturday in Abuja at the finals of the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship, where Plateau Vipers defeated Suleja Shooters 29-24 to emerge champions in the men’s category.

In the women’s final, Benue Queens of Makurdi defeated City Queens of Suleja to claim the title.

The eight-day tournament featured teams from across the North Central Zone, with Plateau Vipers of Jos, Confluence Stars of Lokoja, Unity Boys of Abuja, Suleja Shooters and Nasarawa Ambassadors of Lafia competing in the men’s category.

In the women’s category, Nuela Handball Academy of Ilorin, Inikpi Babes of Idah, Benue Queens of Makurdi and City Queens of Suleja competed for honours.

At the end of the competition, four teams — two male and two female — emerged as the North Central Zone’s representatives for the national Division One league.

According to Seidu, the tournament was organised as part of the federation’s deliberate strategy to take handball development back to the regions and discover talents that might otherwise remain unnoticed.

He said the HFN board, inaugurated on October 25, 2025, resolved that grassroots development was essential to creating a sustainable pipeline of players for national and international competitions.

“All the teams you have seen here are from the North Central Zone of the country, and every state is represented with an academy or state team,” he said.

Seidu explained that the new approach marked a departure from the previous system, where talent identification was largely centred on the federation’s major league competitions.

He said taking competitions to the regions would provide young players with greater opportunities to showcase their abilities while strengthening the foundation of handball across the country.

The HFN president also linked the grassroots initiative to Nigeria’s recent achievements in international handball, stressing the need to develop younger players who can eventually replace members of the current national teams.

He noted that Nigeria had qualified for the 2027 Men’s Junior Handball World Championship in North Macedonia, describing the achievement as evidence of the potential within the country’s handball system.

“How do we replace these players with upcoming players? This is the avenue for us to get players,” he said.

Seidu added that the federation was determined to make handball more visible and accessible, describing it as one of Nigeria’s major sporting disciplines with significant potential for growth.

The North Central tournament is part of a wider zonal programme designed to decentralise handball development across Nigeria.

According to the federation, similar competitions are being organised across other zones, including the South East, North East, North West and South South, with qualifiers from each zone expected to converge at a designated venue for the next stage of the competition.

The federation also appealed for greater support from sponsors, stakeholders and state associations to sustain its grassroots development programme.

It expressed appreciation to the participating states, academies, team sponsors and other stakeholders for their support and commitment to the growth of handball in Nigeria.

The federation said the initiative would provide a platform for discovering the next generation of Nigerian handball stars while expanding the sport’s reach beyond its traditional centres.
While Speaking the elated coach of Benue Queen Godwin Tondo has promised a stronger and more tactical performance after guiding the team to victory at the 2026 North Central Division One Handball Championship in Abuja.
He attributed the success to the team’s long-term youth development programme, noting that the squad was built through a deliberate process of identifying and nurturing young talents.
According to him, the programme began with the selection of 92 girls from secondary schools, who were subsequently trained and developed over a four-year period.

He said the team’s success was a product of sustained hard work and commitment despite the challenges encountered during preparations for the tournament.

“I feel very pleased being a champion today. The road to this stage was very, very hard, but I am very happy that we have got the result from all the toughness of the game,” he said.

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