Promoter canvasses conducive environment for boxing industry

Boxing can become one of the highest employers of labour if the sport is given a good environment to thrive, a promoter, Dr Adrian Ogun, has said.
Pitching for the revitalisation of the Nigerian boxing industry, Ogun said he, like so many others, are ready to utilise their expertise in discovering and promoting young and talented personalities into the Nigerian boxing industry, adding, however, that the environment first has to be made attractive to the youth.
In a statement made available to The Guardian, Ogun said he has concluded arrangements with the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC) and AMDM Promotions to scout and develop hidden talents into becoming boxing legends.
He recalled that AMDM had in the past promoted world championship boxing shows that featured the likes of Lennox Lewis, Mike Tyson, Floyd Mayweather Jnr. Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko.
“This, no doubt, prompted the NBBofC to recently grant a license to AMDM Promotions to promote boxing shows in Nigeria to showcase and develop home grown boxing talents.
“AMDM Promotions is part of the AMDM group of companies managed by Dr. Ogun and co-founded by Nigerian sports entrepreneur, Tunde Folawiyo. Mr. Folawiyo is a Forbes listed oil, banking, and communications mogul – who has interests in the NBA franchise, Basketball Africa League (BAL) and a consortium building a new 10,000 plus seater sporting and entertainment arena in Lagos.”
He said that AMDM Africa runs the boxing TV streaming arm of ‘Lion,’ a UK-based boxing promotional company owned by former World boxing champion, Lennox Lewis, adding that his agency successfully streamed the Francis Ngannou versus Tyson Fury controversial boxing match (where many viewers believed Cameroun’s Ngannou was robbed of victory) to Airtel Africa’s mobile phone audience of up to 130 million users on October 28, 2023.
He disclosed that he would be at the ring side in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, alongside Lennox Lewis on February 17, 2024, when Tyson Fury fights Olek Usyk for the undisputed heavyweight WBC/WBA/IBF/IBO titles.
On that day, he said, Lewis, the last undisputed world heavyweight boxing champion since 1999, would lose his 25-year record as the ‘last undisputed’ heavyweight title holder.
“Over the past three decades, Nigeria has produced world class heavyweight boxing talents in the form of Henry Akinwande, Herbie Hide Maduagwu, Ike Ibeabuchi, Samuel Peter, Anthony Joshua, and the rising new heavyweight boxing star, Efe Ajagba.
“Sadly, these sons of Nigeria were neither developed nor showcased in Africa for their adoring fans to watch and enjoy.
“My mission at AMDM Boxing Promotions and AMDM Africa is to both develop Nigerian boxing talent on the African continent and provide youths with streaming access to the boxing performances of their heroes, via their mobile phones.”
Ogun, who is also reputed to be a talent builder even outside boxing, is reputed to have played a part in the success stories of two former Super Eagles players, Mikel Obi and Taiye Taiwo.
“When John Obi Mikel and Taiye Taiwo were 14-year-old footballers, I ran a football and boxing agency in the UK called Sport Entertainment and Media (S.E.M, which was quoted on the London Stock Exchange, AIMS junior market) with FIFA agent, Jerome Anderson.
“John Shittu (a Nigerian football agent) introduced Obi Mikel and Taiye Taiwo to me at SEM and I used my relationship with Raymond Hack (of the South African Footballing Federation) and SEM’s financial muscle to get both Mikel and Taiwo placement contracts, at 14 years of age, to develop their footballing and academics skills with football club at Ajax Cape Town before their big money moves, years later, to European clubs. I plan to do the same now with Nigerian boxing talent.”
On infrastructural development, Ogun promised to establish quality gyms, and boxing trainers and coaches in collaboration with Golden Gloves, Africa’s longest and most established boxing organisation.
The Guardian recalls that prior to the Francis Ngannou v Tyson Fury fight in October 2023, AMDM Africa agreed to work in collaboration with the management company of Ngannou to provide opportunity for Kevin Lerena to feature on the undercard of future Francis Ngannou boxing bouts.