Ghana and Nigeria set for boxing friendly ahead of 2026 Commonwealth Games

Ghana’s national boxing teams will face their Nigerian counterparts in an international friendly on Thursday, 7th May, at the Accra Sports Stadium, as part of final preparations for the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, Scotland.

The bilateral bout, organized by the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) and the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), is designed to assess the readiness of boxers from both nations ahead of the July Games. Per Commonwealth Games regulations, the event will feature seven male boxers across the official weight categories, and three female boxers in the 54kg, 57kg, and 71kg divisions.

The Nigerian contingent is expected to arrive in Accra on Tuesday, two days before the friendly.

GBF President Alhaji Dauda Fuseini and NBF Technical Committee Chairman Babatunde Laguda have both endorsed the initiative as a timely and effective evaluation method.

“The Ghana friendly tournament is truly the way to go at a time like this,” Laguda said. “Our boxers are currently camping in Lagos ahead of the Commonwealth Games, and this international friendly will further expose them to a more competitive atmosphere.”

NBF Vice President Hon. Omonlei Imadu added that the federation is in advanced talks with two other nations for additional friendly bouts. “We are in the final stages of discussions with two other countries. Our aim is to ensure the best possible preparation for our boxers before heading to the Games in July,” he said.

Boxing remains Ghana’s leading medal prospect at major international competitions. Since the country’s Commonwealth Games debut in 1951, Ghana has won 62 medals, with boxing accounting for 35 of them. At the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England, boxing delivered three of Ghana’s five total medals: silver for Abraham Mensah (bantamweight, 54kg) and Joseph Commey (featherweight, 67kg), and bronze for Abdul Walib Omar (lightweight, 60kg).

The 2026 Commonwealth Games are scheduled to run from Thursday, 23rd July, to Sunday, 2nd August, in Glasgow, Scotland.