Inability to secure sponsors to partner with the Sunny Clay Boxing Academy has stalled the proposed 2017 edition of the annual championship.
Sunday Nwamuda, Head Coach of the academy, made this known to the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on Thursday in Lagos.
Nwamuda said that corporate bodies and individuals who promised to support the championships had failed to fulfill their pledges.
“We have approached some corporate bodies and individuals with our proposals early enough and they promised to assist us, which made us to shift it to August, but there was no response.
“I feel bad because the boxers, who will participate in the competition, have been coming for training since schools went on vacation with high expectations that the championships will hold as schedule,’’ he said.
The coach said that some national boxing championships in the U-12, U-15, junior and senior categories were products of the academy that have been participating in the annual tournaments usually held in August at the National Stadium.
“This championship has been consistent in the last 10 years with the support of corporate bodies, fans and boxers, both young and upcoming are usually looking toward it,’’ he said.
Nwamuda expressed disappointment over the aborted championship, adding that the tournament would have provided an enabling environment for young boxers to showcase their skills.
According to him, the academy, affiliated with the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), has been observing open training for the upcoming boxers at the gymnasium located within the National Stadium, Lagos.
Nwamuda said, “The training is still ongoing. It is imperative to keep the boxers in form and engage them in summer holidays.
