Shogbesan Sikiru Adekunle, 2019 Batch C youth corps member serving in Oyo State, who will be participating at the upcoming GOtv Boxing Night 20, has revealed that he raised money to sponsor himself in school through boxing.
Adekunle, who will be fighting his opponent, Rilwan Oyekola, at this edition, made this known to Newsbreak.ng on Thursday, on the sideline of a Press Conference by Fly Kite Productions, organisers of the GOtv Boxing Night on Thursday.
The boxer, a graduate of Microbiology at the Yaba College Of Technology, Lagos State, who appeared in uniform at the event, disclosed that his parents were boxers and that he took after them.
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He stated that he received a lot of financial favour because of the boxing skills God gave him.
Adekunle also said that he counted it a privilege to be a graduate and boxer, saying most of his colleagues do not have such opportunity.
“My father was once a boxer, my mother was once a boxer, so I inherited the gene from both of them. So even before I started boxing at all, playing on the streets in Idi Oro, Mushin, I was the champion. I grew up in the same area with Taiwo Eshepo. I love boxing very much,”Adekunle said.
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“There is what we call grace. Most boxers grew up in the street with insufficient parental care. I grew up in a family that my father, who is now late, loved education. So right from my primary to secondary school days, I’ve always been the best.
“My records are there at Ansarudeen Nursery and Primay School in Mushin. At Ransome Kuti too, from JSS 1 to 3, I was the class captain. I represented the school at NTA competitions. So after my dad’s death, my mother has always encouraged me that ‘you know you can do it’, don’t stop.
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“I graduated from Yabatech with Upper, so my educational aspect has always been good.”
“Boxing is what set me on while I was in school; that was where I got the capital to start almost everything I did. I sponsored myself through boxing. When I get money and I want to write an exam, it is always very easy. Studying was not the problem, it was the money.
“Graduating from school was not very easy because my mother stopped working. She could not sell fish because of financial challenge. I get a lot of favour from people as a boxer. So I see being educated as a great privilege for me.”
‘Omo Iya Eleja’, who lost his two professional fights at GOtv Boxing Night, warned his opponent ahead of his third fight at the event.
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“I lost my first two fights as a professional at GOtv Boxing; the first one to Lion, they said I had a cut and they said I cannot continue. Then my second fight was with Rilwan Babyface. He won unanimously, but my third fight was at Ibadan, where I fought Bayo Akintayo, I knocked him out in Round Two.
“I have to teach Rilwan Oyekola a lesson of his life. To him, he is seeing a youth corper. But people like Rilwan Oladosu, Taiwo Agbaje Eshepo, that we both fought and been together since amateur days, will be able to testify to what I can do. I was one of the talents that was adopted during the Fashola era, I even captained the team.
“Though I have been to school, but I have the experience,” he added.
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On why he adopted his nickname, he disclosed that his mother ensured that he did not drop out of school after his father’s death.
“My mother then used to sell fresh fish. She ensured that I did not drop out of school after my dad died. She supported and encouraged me. In my training and academics, she is always there for me. That was why I adopted the name,” he said further.
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