In a recent interview with The Punch, Nigerian boxer and WBC Silver titleholder Elizabeth Oshoba opened up about her journey into boxing, the challenges she faced as a young girl in a male-dominated sport, and the triumphs that have defined her career so far.
Speaking with Punch’s Peter Akinbo, Elizabeth revealed that she was introduced to boxing at the age of 12 by her brother, who saw a video of a female boxer and thought she had the potential to succeed in the sport. Initially reluctant, Elizabeth said she didn’t want to “spoil her fine face,” but with the support of her parents, especially her father who tricked her into visiting a boxing gym, she eventually took up the sport after seeing other girls like her in the gym.
However, Oshoba’s early experience in boxing was met with a lot of resistance. As a public school student, she was bullied by boys who didn’t believe a girl should be boxing.
“The guys in school did not want to accept that a lady could be doing this, so they started bullying me,” she said. “It got to the point that I had to fight back… I fought with a guy in my class, and he started bleeding. That was when they all knew I was a good boxer, and they started leaving me alone.”
From those early struggles, Elizabeth went on to represent Nigeria at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, where she won a silver medal, an achievement she describes as one of the highlights of her career. Despite nearly missing the Games due to a COVID-19 test scare, she eventually made the trip and delivered an unforgettable performance.
“I was even happier than the person who won gold,” she said. “That was my happiest moment.”
Now based in the UK, Elizabeth has remained undefeated in her professional career, with seven wins in the UK and two in Nigeria. Winning the WBC Silver title, she said, was another emotional milestone.
“It is my first world title… I’m happy to have achieved this success. It wasn’t easy, but I am fully prepared for any kind of opponent.”
She advised aspiring female boxers in Nigeria, encouraging them to persevere despite obstacles.
“No matter how difficult it is, no matter the struggle, hard work is going to pay off they should not give up and keep working towards their goals.”
Source: Punch Newspapers. Read the full interview here: I was bullied by boys for learning boxing in school – Oshoba.
