The Local Organising Committee (LOC) for the ongoing National Sports Festival (NSF) in Delta State on Thursday described a dead boxer, Igboanugo Chucks, as a national hero.
Mr. Igboanugo who represented Imo State at the festival, died on Monday evening after he collapsed and died during the 86kg bout with Prince Gaby Amagor of Delta State.
Chairman of the media and publicity sub-committee of the LOC, Charles Aniagwu, while briefing journalists expressed shock over the death of the boxer, describing him as a patriot who was determined to win gold.
Mr. Aniagwu said medics battled hard to save him but to no avail.
According to him, “At the event center, we have ring side medics who check the boxers for fitness. On the 4th, he was examined and his BP was not normal.
“He was asked to leave and after a short while, he returned and the BP was normal but was also asked to come back before the bout.
“But he did not come back. At some point in time during the bout, his nose was bleeding and they wanted to stop the game but he was confident of winning the bout.
“So when he fell, he was rushed to the clinic within the centre and as he was being rushed there, the ambulance was being prepared in which he was taken to the Asaba Specialist Hospital (ASH) where be was confirmed dead.”
Aniagwu who is also the Commissioner for Information in Delta State, said the consent of his family, Imo contingents and the Boxing Federation of Nigeria was needed for autopsy to be carried out to ascertain the real cause of the death.
