Lagos – Rotimi George, a former president of the Nigeria Boxing Federation on Friday commended the performance of Efe Ajagba in the boxing event of the Rio Olympics.
Ajagba was the nation’s lone boxer at the ongoing Rio Games before his oust.
He lost to Ivan Dychko of Kazakhstan in the quarterfinals of their Super Heavyweight fight in a unanimous decision.
The judges had recorded the fight, 28-29, 28-29 and 28-29 (3-0) in favour of Dychko.
He qualified for Rio by defeating all contenders through technical knockout at the qualifying championships in Cameroon.
The boxer made the quarterfinals by defeating Trinidad and Tobago’s Nigel Paul in an emphatic style by knocking him out in the first round while some fans were still purchasing their tickets.
Ajagba, won bronze medal at the 2014 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, In 2015, he was a gold medalist at the Africa Games in Brazzaville, Congo.
George told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Lagos that Ajagba was a medal prospect going to Rio, but it was unfortunate he did not make the podium.
“I give it to Ajagba, he is a hard working boxer, but unfortunately, did not get the right support to travel overseas for the preparations for the Games.
“This could have given him the right exposure and the right sparring partners that will toughen him and allow him to know his weakness and strength.
“However, it is not over with him, it should be the beginning of another outlook where Ajagba should challenge himself in making it at the international ranks,” he said.
George said that Ajagba and many other boxers need to be encouraged with the right training, right kits, right exposure and right rings that meets international standard.
“When you look at all the boxing arena in Nigeria, you will be ashamed that none meet international standard, how can a boxer perform credibly with so much limitations.
“Personally, I thank Ajagba for his efforts, but now, he needs the right support for him to grow, because the future holds a lot for him if he is supported,’’ George said.
In the same vein, Coach Sunday Nwamuda, said that the boxer deserved a lot of credit, stressing that he did well but his opponent was equally tough.
“Ajagba did not get the right training for the magnitude of the competition.
“The Olympics is where upcoming boxers want to shine and make their mark before proceeding to a prominent international career, so one should be well prepared ahead of the challenge.
“He could have brought back a medal, but unfortunately that did not happen.
“This shows that we can have the best boxer, but the right exposure and training is also very important,’’ Nwamuda said.
Babatunde Lagunda, a former coach, also blamed Ajagba’s medal loss on preparations and poor attention given to the boxer by authorities in sports sector and corporate bodies.
“Ajagba was definitely a medal prospect because he had the capacity and mentality to achieve for himself.
“He is a hard puncher that can fight and deliver when relied upon, but in Rio, he could not do that because he did not get the right preparations and support.
“For an Olympic event, any athlete that relied on home facilities is just going there to fulfill righteousness, because his preparations cannot be compared to his contemporaries in Europe, Asia and America.
“We are talking about an athlete getting the right diet, right kits, right ring and most importantly, the right exposure.
“We are also talking about engaging the athlete in international competition that will afford him the opportunity to meet his equals in overseas, sincerely without this, boxing cannot move forward,’’ Laguda said.
NAN reports that Ajagba over his twitter angle, apologized to Nigerians for his failure to reach the podium.
“I am sorry for not bringing back home any medal, I knew you waited in the night to watch my fight; sincerely I am sorry for disappointing everybody.
“I was too overzealous as all I wanted to do was to record a knockout as I promised, but it did not work out the way I taught it would,’’ Ajagba said. (NAN)