Two young Nigerian boxers, Tijani Azeez and Mistura Idowu, both won best boxer awards at De Lads Boxing Promotions Grassroots Amateur Boxing Championships held at the Teslim Balogun Stadium in Surulere, Lagos State on Sunday, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
Azeez claimed the N200,000 cash prize as the best male boxer, while Idowu received N100,000 as the best female boxer. Both boxers also received trophies and medals for their displays at the Molade Okoya-Thomas indoor sports hall.
Idowu is the daughter of a boxer in Bariga, Lagos and has won gold medals at the 2021 National Youth Games in Kwara State and 2022 National Sports Festival in Delta State.
“I am very happy I won the best boxer award, I was very confident when I was coming here and I was very happy I got to fight tough boxers,” the 17-year-old said.
“Boxing makes me feel really good and happy, the boxing ring makes me feel like I am going to a party; I feel good and amazing.”
Azeez, meanwhile, won a silver medal at the 2022 National Sports Festival after losing out to Israel Makinde in the final of the men’s 48kg boxing category following a unanimous 5-0 result from all the judges’
scorecards.
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