Commonwealth super middleweight champion, Isaac Ekpo, has tipped the Nigeria boxing team for success at the 2015 All-Africa Games and the Rio 2016 Olympics in Brazil.

The Nigeria team garnered a total of three bronze medals at the 2014 Commonwealth Games while the sport enjoyed a reasonable level of participation at other competitions during the year. Ekpo, who is the current WBO Africa champion, believes that the team have the potential to better Nigeria’s previous achievement at the Games.

Ekpo told our correspondent that the country had always been blessed with talented and glory-seeking boxers.

He said, “Boxing is a game that is done every day. When you are good at it you get better at it. Nigerian boxers are good and are getting better by the day.

“I believe the present crop of boxers in the country will do better than our own time. They will go to the All Africa Games next year and bring back more medals than we have previously achieved.

“I say this because I see them working hard and sweating it out every day here in the stadium. They can even win more medals for us at the next Olympics.”

Ekpo added that he would work hard to ensure the mandatory defence of his title next year.

“Isaac Ekpo is training hard. The welterweight fighters are avoiding me, I don’t know why but my target is to be the world champion before the end of next year. I am working hard on my title defence which will come up next year,” he said.

The 32-year-old said, “Nigeria is my home. I trained here for my fights and will train here for the other fights I will have next year. I commend the coaches we have here and the efforts they are putting into the development of boxing in Nigeria.

“The efforts of former boxers too should not go unrewarded. They need more help to bring out these talents the country has. The next world champion will be produced here in Nigeria by Nigeria.”


SOURCE:http://www.punchng.com/sports/ekpo-tips-nigerian-boxers-for-international-glory/