Team Nigeria’s boxing campaign at the 23rd Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland, suffered a fourth blow on Sunday, as Ajishola Kadijat became the latest Nigerian boxer eliminated from the tournament following a narrow split decision defeat in the women’s 54kg round of 16, PUNCH Sports Extra reports.
The 19-year-old lost 3-2 to Wales’ Helen Jones at the SEC Centre in a closely contested bout that saw both fighters exchange impressive combinations, with the judges narrowly favouring the Welsh boxer, who advances to the quarter-finals.
Despite a spirited display, Kadijat could not do enough to keep her Commonwealth Games medal hopes alive, extending Nigeria’s struggles in the discipline after three other boxers had already been eliminated in the opening days of competition.
Kadijat’s exit followed the earlier departures of Ayomide Foly Hassan and Abdulramon Abdulwahab on Friday, and David Akintola on Saturday.
Hassan suffered a comprehensive 4-0 points defeat to Lesotho’s Refiloe Thai in the men’s 70kg Round of 32, while Akintola, regarded as one of Nigeria’s brightest prospects in the ring, was beaten 4-1 by Tanzania’s Yusef Lucasi Changalewa in the men’s 80kg Round of 32, struggling throughout the contest as the Tanzanian dictated the pace with sharper combinations and cleaner scoring punches.
With four of the country’s six-man and women’s boxing contingent now eliminated, the pressure has shifted onto Nigeria’s two remaining fighters to salvage what is fast becoming a difficult campaign in the discipline.
Patricia Mbata is due to face England’s Mary Smith in the women’s 75kg quarter-final on Tuesday, July 28, while Blessing Orakwe takes on Australia’s Lekeisha Pergoliti in the women’s 70kg quarter-final on Wednesday, July 29.
Team Nigeria has already enjoyed considerable success elsewhere at the Games, claiming multiple medals in para powerlifting. Still, boxing, historically one of the country’s strongest medal-producing sports at the Commonwealth Games, is yet to register a breakthrough in Glasgow.
Nigeria’s remaining boxers now carry the country’s slim hopes of avoiding a medal-less outing in the discipline, with another defeat likely to leave the team empty-handed in a sport that has historically delivered memorable performances on the Commonwealth stage.
