The Ilaji Boxing Academy is set to host the Ilaji Boxing Scouting Tournament on Wednesday, August 26, 2026, at 10:00 a.m. at Ilaji Hotels & Sports Resort, Akanran, Ibadan, as part of efforts to discover, nurture and develop the next generation of Nigerian boxing talents.
The tournament, organised under the auspices of Ilaji Hotels & Sports Resort (Hospitality) Ltd, is open to boys and girls aged 8 to 15 years, particularly beginners and intermediate-level boxers. The scouting programme is designed to identify young athletes with the physical fitness, discipline, focus, determination, mental strength, coachability and passion required to progress in the sport.
Speaking on the initiative, Owoade Waheed Adeniyi, popularly known as Coach Kangol and an in-house trainer at the Ilaji Boxing Academy, said the tournament represents another important step in creating a structured pathway for young people who aspire to make a career in boxing.
According to Coach Kangol, the academy’s objective goes beyond producing fighters. It seeks to build disciplined, confident and mentally strong young athletes through professional coaching, safe training, fitness and discipline, self-defence skills and opportunities for competitive exposure.
The initiative also reflects the broader sports-development vision of Engr. Dotun Sanusi, founder of Ilaji Hotels & Sports Resort, whose investment has helped position the resort as an important platform for sporting development in Oyo State and Nigeria.
Sanusi’s commitment to boxing has previously extended to the professional level. In December 2020, he bankrolled the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Super Featherweight title bout between Nigerian boxer Ridwan “Scorpion” Oyekola and Argentine challenger Lucas Matias Montesino at Ilaji. It will be recalled that the Okanlomo Oodua provided the financial backing for the event, including the Argentine boxer’s flight and sanctioning-related expenses.
Scorpion subsequently defeated Montesino by unanimous decision to win the WBF Super Featherweight title, with Sanusi’s contribution receiving recognition from boxing stakeholders and the Oyo State government.
For Coach Kangol, that history is significant because it demonstrates that the investment in boxing at Ilaji is not limited to staging competitions but is part of a broader commitment to developing athletes from the grassroots to the highest levels of the sport.
He said the scouting tournament therefore provides an opportunity for young boys and girls to take their first serious step into boxing in an environment built around professional coaching, safety, discipline, confidence-building and competitive opportunities.
“Every champion begins somewhere. Our responsibility at the academy is to identify potential, develop it properly and give young athletes the confidence and discipline they need to succeed,” Coach Kangol said.
The Ilaji Boxing Academy is consequently inviting parents, guardians and young aspiring boxers within the eligible age bracket to take advantage of the scouting opportunity and begin what the academy describes as a journey towards becoming a champion.
