Preliminary bouts of the National Boxing Open Trials for the Commonwealth Games will commence on Tuesday, March 3, 2026, following a full schedule of preparatory activities lined up for Monday.

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The trials, which form part of Nigeria’s selection process ahead of the Commonwealth Games, will bring together boxers from across the country to compete for national honours and possible international representation.

Activities on Monday, March 2, will begin with a joint seminar for coaches and referees scheduled for 9am to 11am.

This will be followed by a doping education class from 2pm to 3pm, a checklist session from 4pm to 5pm, and technical meetings between 5pm and 6pm. Draws and byes will then be conducted from 7pm to 8pm.

Action in the ring starts on Tuesday with medical tests and weigh-ins from 7am to 8am.

A flower presentation at the Hogan Bassey Grave Yard will take place between 9am and 10am in honour of the late boxing legend.

Preliminary bouts will then be held in two sessions, with the morning session running from 11am to 2pm and the afternoon session from 5pm to 10pm.

Quarter-final bouts are scheduled for Wednesday, March 4, with morning and afternoon sessions fixed for 11am to 2pm and 5pm to 10pm respectively.

On Thursday, March 5, athletes will again undergo medical tests and weigh-ins from 7am to 8am, followed by semi-final bouts in the morning session (11am to 2pm) and afternoon session (4pm to 9pm).

The trials will conclude on Friday, March 6, with final medical tests and weigh-ins from 7am to 8am. The championship final bout and carnival will take place in a single session from 4pm to 10pm.

Organisers have wished all participating boxers success as they compete for places in Nigeria’s Commonwealth Games squad.

The post National Boxing Trial Preliminary Bouts to Begin Tuesday  appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

Nigerian-born former world heavyweight boxing champion, Anthony Olaseni Oluwafemi Joshua has received a vote of confidence from his extended family, who are ready to support any decision he takes regarding his career.

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Sports247 gathered that, while many lovers of boxing are still worried that ‘AJ’ may not be emotionally and psychologically stable to step back into the ring, the boxer appears eager to continue his career.

Speculation is still on about Joshua’s next line of action, following the fatal accident he survived on December 29th in Ogun State, but lost two of his closest friends, as his promoter, Eddie Hearn is already making plans for the boxer’s next fight.

Hearn recently revealed that he is targeting a July return for the 36-year-old Joshua, won a gold medal for Great Britain at the London 2012 Olympic Games and soon became world heavyweight champion in the professional ranks.

The former two-time champ has also returned to training and repeatedly said he wants to honour his late friends by continuing his career, but some critics insist he should quit in order not to aggravate the trauma.

In reaction to the raging debate, AJ’s oldest uncle at his ancestral roots in Sagamu, Mr Ademola Joshua said the entire family respects the boxer’s choices and they will fully support him in whatever he decides to do.

Ademola added, “We are proud of him, very proud of him. He makes the full decision, and we have full respect for him, whatever he decides. Whatever he has decided within himself, we will support him fully.”

The post Anthony Joshua Receives Vote Of Confidence From His Extended Family appeared first on Sports247 Nigeria.

Prominent boxing promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that former heavyweight world champion Anthony Joshua is focused on returning to full training, with a possible comeback pencilled in for around July.

READ ALSO: Anthony Joshua Receives Vote Of Confidence From His Extended Family

Speaking on Joshua’s current situation, Hearn revealed that there are no immediate plans for a fight, stressing that the priority is getting the Nigerian-born British boxer back to peak physical condition before any bout discussions take place.

“AJ’s focus right now is getting back into training properly,” Hearn said. “He’s not ready to enter a full camp yet, and there’s no rush. The most important thing is that he feels right physically.”

Hearn dismissed speculation linking Joshua to an immediate showdown with long-time rival Tyson Fury, clarifying that such a fight is not on the table at this moment.

“Tyson Fury is not the next opponent. Nothing has been finalised. Until AJ is back in full training and feeling comfortable, it wouldn’t make sense to talk about names,” he explained.

According to Hearn, Joshua is most at ease when fully immersed in training, and that phase is expected to begin in the coming months.

“He’s happiest when he’s in the gym, working hard, improving himself. Once he’s back in that rhythm, then we’ll start looking at options around the world,” Hearn added.

The promoter noted that a tentative July timeline is realistic if everything progresses smoothly, but insisted that no pressure will be placed on the former champion.

“If July works, great. If it needs to be later, that’s fine too. We’re not forcing anything. This is about longevity and coming back the right way,” he said.

Joshua, a two-time heavyweight world champion, has remained one of boxing’s biggest global attractions despite recent setbacks. Hearn believes that with patience and proper preparation, the next chapter of Joshua’s career can still be a successful one.

“He’s still got so much to give to the sport. The key now is doing things properly and giving himself the best chance when he does return,” Hearn concluded

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