A boxer Chukwuemeka Igboanugo has been confirmed dead at the ongoing National Sports Festival in Asaba, Delta State.
Igboanugo, who was representing Imo State, was said to have passed out after he received multiple punches in the chin from Anambra’s Gaby Amagor in their 86kg category bout.
A boxing official told newsmen that “He was immediately taken out of the ring for medical treatment before being rushed to the hospital, where he was confirmed dead,”
However, Borno State coach, Endurance Aberegidi, who was at the venue when the boxer was knocked down, told newsmen that the incident happened on Monday.
In his words, “It was a pathetic situation. These guy trained for years and after getting a national opportunity, he then dies in the ring,” he said
“I was in the ring side when he fell and the medics rushed in and tried to revive him. He slightly responded and they took him to the emergency unit, then they asked for the boxer’s coach.
“I walked up to them and they told me that the boy was not responding to treatment,” Aberegidi said.
The coach added that much time was wasted in looking for the Imo coach, instead of treating Igboanugo immediately.
“They were looking for the coach for over 20 minutes as the boy was not responding to treatment. I don’t know why they wasted so much time to treat the boy. They should have focused on treating him. They said the boy didn’t allow anyone to treat him and after a short while, they came back and said he had given up the ghost,” he said.
