Necessary arrangements have been concluded for the third edition of the Annual Opeyemi Bamidele Boxing Championship as the tournamnet would officially start today in an event slated for the Oshodi Youth Sports Centre.
Our Sports Correspondent, reports that over two hundred pugilists would participate in this year's edition of the tournament as the weigh- in exercise was concluded yesterday in readiness for the one week competition.
The Chairman of the Lagos State Amateur Boxing Association, Henry Akinwande, said the event came at the appropirate time when the Association is preparing for the National Boxing Championship which would serve as a platform to select pugilits for the Commonwealth Games billed for India in October, 2010.
While appreciating the state commissioner for Information and Strategy, Opeyemi Bamidele, Akinwande, said the tournament along with the Monthly Saturday Boxing Show would boost the image of boxing in the state as it would help the Association to pick the best form the arrays of pugilists in their pool.
He is optimistic that a minimum of five pugilists from the state in different weight categories are expected to make the final team to the Commonwealth Games.
The Chairman of Lagos State Sports Medicine Association, Akin George, has said that any boxers with hernia would be disqualified from taking part in the Annual Opeyemi Bamidele Boxing Championship because such boxers are liable to die on the ring.
George, said all the boxers expected to feature in the event have been subjected to thorough medical test, adding that it helps to ascertain the medical fitness of the boxers.
Meanwhile, the Chairman of Lagos State Referee Judges Federation, Ademola Adegelu, said the weight categories of the event have changed to suit the standard of Amateur International Boxing Association, AIBA.
Adegelu, said a total of fifteen judges would be used to run a smooth tournament, stressing that the judges are graded certificated referees who are members of the state's, National, Continental and AIBA Judges Federation.
According to him, the accredited boxers would vye for honours in ten weight categories in the male and female categories.
0 comments:
Speak up your mind
Tell us what you're thinking... !