Sports
Foreign-Based Pugilists Storm Camp as National Boxing Week Opens Commonwealth Games Qualifiers
Joel Ajayi
The Nigeria Boxing Federation has confirmed the arrival of several foreign-based Nigerian boxers ahead of the maiden edition of National Boxing Week, as the countdown begins to the 2026 Commonwealth Games qualifiers.
National Boxing Week, scheduled to hold from March 1–6, 2026, at the Brai Ayonote Boxing Complex, National Stadium, Lagos, will host the National Open Trials to select Team Nigeria’s representatives for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.
The week-long event is being organized in alignment with the merit-driven reforms championed by the National Sports Commission.
The arrival of diaspora athletes in addition to Nigeria-based boxers signals growing confidence in the Federation’s renewed commitment to transparency, fairness, and global competitiveness. The National Open Trials will provide an equal platform for both home-based and foreign-based boxers to compete for the right to wear the green and white.
Vice President of the Nigeria Boxing Federation, Omonlei Imadu, described the development as a positive turning point for the sport.
“This is a new era for Nigerian boxing. The fact that our foreign-based athletes are returning home to compete speaks volumes about the credibility of the process we are building. Selection for the Commonwealth Games will be fierce, but it will be fair and strictly based on merit,” he said.
The trials will feature ten weight categories across men’s and women’s divisions. Affiliated clubs, state associations, institutions, and eligible Nigerian boxers worldwide are expected to present one boxer per weight category, ensuring a truly national and inclusive competition.
Beyond the ring, National Boxing Week will serve as a holistic platform for reform and development. Activities will include a joint seminar for referees and coaches, orientation sessions for athletes focused on discipline and professionalism, and stakeholder engagements aimed at strengthening the domestic boxing ecosystem.
In a landmark modernization effort, the Federation will also unveil new digital initiatives, including an automated licensing system and enhanced digital governance infrastructure to improve transparency, athlete management, and administrative efficiency.
National Boxing Week will also celebrate the legacy of Nigerian boxing legend Hogan “Kid” Bassey, whose contributions brought global recognition to the country and continue to inspire a new generation of champions.
The National Boxing Week promises to be a defining chapter in the resurgence of Nigerian boxing, blending history, reform, competition, and national pride into a landmark event.
Sports
Lagos Set for Star-Studded Legends Game as Diouf, Adebayor, Appiah Lead African Icons
Africa is set for a football spectacle as some of Africa’s biggest football legends battle celebrated Super Eagles icons for the Legends Football Game on Sunday, November 8, at the Mobolaji Johnson Arena, Onikan, Lagos.
Headlining the African Legends squad are former African Footballer of the Year Emmanuel Adebayor, Senegal’s El-Hadji Diouf, Ivorian legend Didier Zokora and Ghana ex captain Stephen Appiah, whose illustrious careers left an enduring mark on the global game.
The star-studded African contingent is expected to feature alongside other celebrated names, including Ghana’s John Paintsil and Anthony Baffoe, Senegal’s Khalilou Fadiga, Burkina Faso’s Aristide Bancé, Cameroon’s Rigobert Song and Alexandre Song, Zimbabwe’s Peter Ndlovu and Benjani Mwaruwari, as well as South Africa’s Brian Baloyi.
They will take on Super Eagles legends from Nigeria’s iconic 1994 and 1996 squads in a special encounter celebrating three decades since Nigeria became the kings of African football.
The game is presented by Toptier Sports Management in partnership with Afreximbank and CANEX, bringing together football icons whose achievements have inspired generations of fans across the continent.
Chichi Nwoko, Founder and CEO of Toptier Sports Management, said the event would provide an opportunity to honour the legends who helped shape African football.
“These are names that every football fan in Africa knows. We are proud to bring them to Lagos to honour the heroes of 1994 and 1996,” she said.
The Legends Football Game is expected to draw fans eager to relive the magic of African football’s golden era, with gates opening at 1:30pm.
For fans unable to make it to the stadium, the match will be broadcast live from 5pm to 7pm on NTA, AIT and Silverbird.
With a galaxy of African football stars set to descend on Lagos, the city is poised for a memorable celebration of football, nostalgia and the enduring legacy of the continent’s greatest players.
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