Few weeks after staging Rhumbles, the first boxing and entertainment event in Nigeria featuring four time heavyweight champion, Evander Holyfield, foremost entertainment firm, ACI Entertainment and Evander Holyfield’s Realdeal Entertainment have entered into a partnership to stage the first boxing reality show in Nigeria
Among other things, the boxing reality show will seek to discover raw talents in Nigeria, get mentored by Holyfield, provide them with platforms to shine at the international level and subsequently promoting them to become world champions. ACI Entertainment is also very passionate about sport tourism as an avenue to grow the economy of Nigeria.
Speaking earlier about his intentions to reawaken boxing entertainment in Nigeria, CEO of ACI Entertainment, Wole Adeniyi who is a well experienced entertainment businessman and renowned boxing promoter said it’s time to bring boxing entertainment back to Africa. He stressed that boxing was one of the most popular leisure activities in Nigeria during the immediate post-WW11 era up until 1970’s which have now been taken over by football. “Given that historical boxing background, we feel it is time to revive the sport via various initiatives to help the talented young men and women. We have kick started the process with Rhumbles by bringing Evander Holyfield to Nigeria. That alone we believe has raised the enthusiasm to a certain level. Evander Holyfield has also come on board as a partner for all other initiatives we will be unveiling one after the other including the Boxing Reality show which is already gathering momentum.”
A director in the company, Mr. Goke Adeniyi also emphasised that there is a need for all Nigerians to be concerned about national development and contribute their quota for the overall success of all Nigerians. “When Anthony Joshua knocks out Wladimir Klitschko in heavyweight title fight, all of us stood up to identify with him as a Nigerian. We’re all proud of his success but what have we done or what are we doing to create other world champions roaming about the streets at the moment. For all us at ACI, the international boxing reality show competition is our own way of contributing to national development and we are fully committed to deploy all necessary resources to achieve this feat”.
In few weeks from now, the details of the competition will be released to enable interested participants to apply and participate.
Aside its resolve to champion the reawakening in Nigeria and provide platforms for budding talents, ACI also has a record label arm christened ACI Records. Presently signed on the label is former winner of Nigerian Idol, Evelle and talented dancehall act, Buckwylla.
