A member of the Imo State contingent in the ongoing National Sports Festival, currently ongoing in Asaba, the Delta State capital, Chukwuemeka Igboanugo, has been sent to his early grave from a punch by his opponent.
The light heavyweight, 178 pounds which represents the 81kg category and 25 years old boxer died at the Event Center, venue of the ongoing boxing competition on Sunday November 4th 2022.
It was gathered that the death of the athlete was concealed by the officials of the game, however after some curiosity and pressure mounted by members of his contingent, the Delta State government in a press briefing confirmed his death.
The State Commissioner for Information, Charles Ehiedu Aniagwu, who addressed journalists disclosed that the unfortunate incident occurred yesterday.
Hear him: “yesterday, before I go into the issue of the medal table, I am sure some of you heard that it was an unfortunate where we lost one of the athletes who before then was participating in this festival and he is from the o State contingent.
“His name is Chukwuemeka Igboanugo and by records, he is 25 years old and he is one of boxers representing Imo State in the 81kg category”.
Aniagwu, who is the spokesman, Atiku Presidential Campaign Council, seized the medium to synthesize with the family of Igboanugo, the people of Imo State, the Imo State contingent, the body athletics in Nigeria and the government of Imo State on the demise of the athlete whom he described as an hero.
According to him, “it is just a question of him just coming from Imo, we of course commiserate with the boxing federation, which is his immediate federation.
“At the Event Center, where boxing was taking place; where this particular development occurred, we have ringside medics, that is medical personnel by the side of the ring.
“Of course you know the nature of that game, they will usually look at you and check whether you are fit to continue the fight, a day before they fought, he had come and he was examined usually by the medical team and somehow, his PB wasn’t normal, and so he was asked to leave.
“Thereafter, he returned after awhile, the PB has returned to normal but he was asked that before he proceed for the games, that he should return again for another check which unfortunately, he didn’t do.
“And by the time the game started, after sometime, it was discovered that he had a little bleeding from the nose. The medics wanted to stop it but of course he himself wanted to stop the fight but you know at that point, if he stops it, it means his opponent have won the game.
“He was desirous of victory and of course his coach and team were also desirous of victory not knowing that some other development may have occured internally”.
He disclosed that the state needed the approval of late Igboanugo’s family, the Imo State government and the boxing federation to run an autopsy to ascertain what really killed the future promising boxer.
He revealed that when the ringside medics and the nearby clinic within the premises of the event could not handle his case, he was immediately rushed to the referral center, Asaba Special Hospital, where he was confirmed dead.
