Get Guardian on GoogleA glimpse of what to expect at the year-end grand finale of the Lagos Boxing Hall of Fame (LBHF) Ibile Divisional Championships, tagged the Governor’s Belt, was on display in Epe over the weekend, as Yusuf Ismaila emerged as the tournament’s Best Boxer.
The LBHF monthly divisional championships, which cover the five IBILE divisions of Lagos State — Ikorodu, Badagry, Ikeja, Lagos Island and Epe — are organised in partnership with the Lagos State Amateur Boxing Association (LABA). Epe hosted the final divisional tournament ahead of the prestigious Governor’s Belt Championship scheduled for December.
Ten local government areas and local council development areas (LCDAs) participated in the one-day event, where Yusuf Ismaila of Eti-Osa West Local Government was named the Most Outstanding Boxer after defeating Gabriel Ogunala in the men’s 70kg category.
Displaying sharp jabs, impressive footwork and powerful uppercuts, Ismaila dominated the contest from the opening bell. He landed a series of clean punches, leaving his opponent struggling to respond before the referee stopped the bout in the second round.
Speaking after his victory, Ismaila thanked his supporters and promised even better performances at the grand finale.
In other results, Oluwatosin Adebayo of Ibeju-Lekki Local Government defeated Great Ezenwa of Eti-Osa East LCDA by a 4-1 scoreline to claim the men’s 75kg title.
Emmanuel Richard of Eti-Osa West Local Government also recorded a convincing 5-0 victory over Surajudeen Olatunji of Ibeju-Lekki LCDA to win the men’s 65kg category.
In the women’s division, Olamide Ogunleye of Eti-Osa East LCDA knocked out Noyimot Adebisi of Eti-Osa West Local Government in the first round to emerge champion in the 54kg category.
Meanwhile, the two exhibition bouts involving students from Community Primary School, Ibeju; Community Junior High School, Ibeju; Iwerekun Community High School; and Happie Valley School ended in draws.
LBHF Director, David Mohammed, expressed satisfaction with the quality of competition witnessed throughout this year’s divisional championships. He noted that several promising boxers had emerged from the various divisions and disclosed plans to organise a one-day trial to select the final team for the Governor’s Belt Championship scheduled for December 26, 2026.
“We are excited by the level of performance we have witnessed across all the divisions, including this Epe divisional championship. We are planning to organise a trial to select the best boxers for the Governor’s Belt later in the year, and we hope to discover new talents who can represent Lagos and Nigeria in the future,” he said.
