Boxing · Competitions
Boxing Competitions in Nigeria
Olympic podiums, Commonwealth gold and All-Africa Games glory: the competitions where Nigerian boxers made their names.
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From our archive
Competitions at home and abroad
Nigeria Boxing Federation has participated in and conducted various events relating to boxing within the country and at international levels.
Some of the events include:
- All Africa Games, Nigeria
- Commonwealth Games, Nigeria
- National Open Boxing Champion, Nigeria
- Olympic Games, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil And
- Commonwealth Games in Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia among others.
Checked 29 September 2026
Olympic and Commonwealth medals
Nigeria’s very first Olympic medal came in the boxing ring, when Nojim Maiyegun won bronze in Tokyo in 1964. Since then Nigerian boxers have climbed the Olympic podium five more times.
| Games | Boxer | Weight | Medal |
|---|---|---|---|
| Tokyo 1964 | Nojim Maiyegun | Light middleweight | Bronze (Nigeria’s first Olympic medal) |
| Munich 1972 | Isaac Ikhouria | Light heavyweight | Bronze |
| Los Angeles 1984 | Peter Konyegwachie | Featherweight | Silver |
| Barcelona 1992 | David Izonritei | Heavyweight (91kg) | Silver |
| Barcelona 1992 | Richard Igbineghu | Super heavyweight (+91kg) | Silver |
| Atlanta 1996 | Duncan Dokiwari | Super heavyweight (+91kg) | Bronze |
| Games | Gold medallists |
|---|---|
| Kingston 1966 | Eddie Ndukwu (bantamweight), Anthony Andeh (lightweight) |
| Edinburgh 1970 | Abayomi Adeyemi (lightweight), Fatai Ayinla (light heavyweight) |
| Christchurch 1974 | Eddie Ndukwu (featherweight), Obisia Nwankpa (light welterweight) |
| Brisbane 1982 | Joe Orewa (bantamweight), Peter Konyegwachie (featherweight) |
| Auckland 1990 | Mohammed Sabo (bantamweight), David Defiagbon (welterweight) |
| Victoria 1994 | Duncan Dokiwari (super heavyweight) |
Nigerian boxers’ achievements
| Year | Achievement |
|---|---|
| 1966 | Eddie Ndukwu (bantamweight) and Anthony Andeh (lightweight) won gold medals and Fatai Ayinla (heavyweight) won silver at the Commonwealth Games in Kingston, Jamaica |
| 1968 | In boxing, Lako won a gold medal in the 54kg class |
| 1970 | Abayomi Adeyemi (lightweight) and Fatai Ayinla (light heavyweight) won gold medals at the Commonwealth Games in Edinburgh, Scotland |
| 1973 | In boxing, Obisia Nwankpa, Isaac Ikhouria and Fatai Ayinla won gold medals each at the All-Africa Games in Lagos |
| 1974 | In boxing, Eddie Ndukwu and Isaac Ikhouria won gold medals each in Kampala. In boxing, Fatai Ayinla won a bronze medal in the heavyweight (+81kg) class at the 1st World Championships in Havana, Cuba. |
| 1990 | David Defiagbon, Welterweight, Commonwealth Games, Boxing (gold medal) Sabo Mohammed, Bantamweight, Commonwealth Games, Boxing (gold medal) Also in boxing, Kevin Onwuka won a bronze medal in Auckland, New Zealand. Moses James won a bronze medal in the 63.5kg class in Sydney |
| 1991 | In boxing, Moses James (63.5kg), Jacklord Jacobs (81kg), David Izonritei (91kg) and Richard Igbineghu (+91kg) won gold medals each including a silver medal by Tajudeen Sabitu (67kg) and a bronze medal by David Defiagbon (71kg) in Cairo |
| 1992 | Nigeria won two silver medals in boxing in the Olympics through David Izonritei (91 kg) and Richard Igbineghu (+91kg) in Barcelona. |
| 1994 | In boxing, Duncan Dokiwari won a gold medal in the +91kg class, Rasmus Ojemaye (75kg) and Eromosele Albert (67kg) won silver medals each in Victoria Canada. |
| 1995 | In boxing, Duncan Dokiwari (+91kg) won a gold medal, Kehinde Aweda (54kg) won a silver medal, Daniel Attah (57kg) and Friday Ahunanya (91kg) won a bronze medal each in Harare. |
| 1996 | Duncan Dokiwari (+91kg) won a bronze medal in Atlanta in boxing. |
| 1999 | In boxing, Segun Ajose won a gold medal, Jegbefu Albert and Eromosele Albert won silver medals each in South Africa |
Checked 30 September 2026
Nigeria at the Commonwealth Games and African Games
Boxing gave Nigeria some of its proudest Commonwealth Games moments, from Eddie Ndukwu’s golds in 1966 and 1974 to Duncan Dokiwari’s super-heavyweight title in 1994. At the African Games, Nigeria topped the boxing table in Accra with eight golds.
| Games | Nigeria’s record |
|---|---|
| Commonwealth Games, all time | 42 medals: 13 gold, 7 silver, 22 bronze (after Glasgow 2026) |
| First medal | 1954, Vancouver: Abubakar Idi Garuba, bantamweight bronze |
| Famous golds | Eddie Ndukwu (1966, 1974), Obisia Nwankpa (1974), Duncan Dokiwari (1994) |
| Birmingham 2022 | Elizabeth Oshoba silver; bronze for Ifeanyi Onyekwere, Cynthia Ogunsemilore and Jacinta Umunnakwe |
| Glasgow 2026 | No medal from 6 boxers; Blessing Oraekwe and Patricia Mbata lost 2-3 quarter-finals |
| African Games 2019, Rabat | 1 gold (Bolanle Shogbamu, women’s 69kg), 1 silver, 5 bronze |
| African Games 2023, Accra | Top of the boxing table: 8 gold, 2 silver |
The next African Games are in Cairo, Egypt, from 20 January to 7 February 2027. See the full medal stories on our Commonwealth Games and African Games pages.
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Quick answers
Boxing competitions: quick answers
What competitions do Nigerian boxers take part in?
The Olympic Games, the Commonwealth Games, the African Games, African and world championships, the National Sports Festival and the National Open Championships, plus professional shows such as GOtv Boxing Night.
How did Nigeria do in boxing at the 2026 Commonwealth Games?
Nigeria entered six boxers, three men and three women, at Glasgow 2026 (24 July to 1 August) and won no boxing medal. Blessing Orakwe reached the women’s 70kg quarter-final.
Where is the home of boxing in Nigeria?
The Brai Ayonote Boxing Complex (Gymnasium) at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos, has hosted national championships and trials for decades.
How many Commonwealth Games boxing medals has Nigeria won?
42: 13 gold, 7 silver and 22 bronze, from Abubakar Idi Garuba’s bronze in 1954 to Birmingham 2022. Nigeria won no boxing medal at Glasgow 2026.
How many boxing golds did Nigeria win at the 2023 African Games?
Eight, the most of any nation: Dolapo Omole, Olaitan Olaore and Ifeanyi Onyekwere for the men, and Nene Ojo, Cynthia Ogunsemilore, Blessing Oraekwe, Patricia Mbata and Jacinta Umunnakwe for the women.