Boxing promoter and former sports journalist, Jenkins Alumona, has said the aim of GOtv Boxing NextGen Search, a talent hunt initiative, is to produce continental and world boxing champions.
Alumona, who is the Managing Director of Flykite Promotions, organisers of GOtv Boxing Night, explained that the talent hunt initiative was conceived to create a conveyor belt of talented and young boxers with enough scope for development.
The promoter said the years of neglect the sport witnessed have robbed it of its best practitioners, with many of them becoming too old or drifting into other vocations.
He said: “The acute dearth of promotions before GOtv Boxing Night came meant that boxers had no opportunities for fights. This resulted in many of them getting old and going to do some other things.
“The country needs to produce new boxers to replace the old ones and those getting old. That is why we came up with the idea of GOtv Boxing NextGen Search. We have been getting promising young boxers, who we are sure can be nurtured to international stardom. We need a new crop and we will get that crop. The aim is to mint continental and world boxing champions and we are very positive we will.”
GOtv Boxing NextGen debuted in February.
Its maiden edition attracted over 100 boxers from across the country.
The boxers took part in sparring sessions supervised by celebrated boxing coaches.
Twenty-eight were adjudged to be the most promising.
They had their professional boxing licences paid for by the sponsors.
Many of them have made their professional debuts, notably at GOtv Boxing Night 7 and 8.
The second edition holds from August 17 in Lagos.
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