HOLYFIELD TO ESTABLISH BOXING FACILITY IN SOUTH-SOUTH

Arrangements have been concluded for the establishment of a sporting facility in the South-South to develop boxing talents among youths in the country. Evander Holyfield, a four-time World Heavy Weight Boxing Champion, who disclosed this during a courtesy call on Governor Liyel Imoke in Government House, Calabar, said the facility would create avenue for talented youths to achieve their dreams of becoming world class boxing champions.

Speaking on behalf of the delegation, Mr. Alfred Dixon, the President Trans Atlantic Group, North Carolina, USA, said the organisation was ready to bring its technical expertise to bear with the world heavyweight champion as the main trainer.

Dickson said: 'We have decided to partner with the state and queue into the tourism development initiative with huge potentiality capable of generating employment opportunities and disclosed their readiness to collaborate with the state to attract visitors.'

He averred that as a two-time visitor to the state, he was in the right position to convince others willing to visit the state to do so, as it remains one of the safest places in the world.

On his part, Cross River State Governor, Senator Liyel Imoke, commended the organisation for choosing to invest in the state as well as complement its comprehensive sport development programme. Imoke said: 'The government is willing to harness the sporting potentialities of the youths and groom them to become world champion.'

While disclosing that the state is preparing to host the National Sport Festival in 2014, he said: The state is preparing to host the National Sport Festival in 2014 and your mission will further boost its morale in organizing and winning laurels in boxing.'

He said, 'so far the state government has contracted six foreign coaches with the supervision of a consultant, to train youths in various fields of sport and promised to collaborate with them to a achieve the vision of revamping the sport sub-sector.'