With my blood and life, I stand by my boxers – Konyegwachie

Nigeria’s head boxing coach Anthony Konyagwachie talks about his journey from Olympic boxer to record-breaking coach and more in this interview with PETER AKINBO

How did you get into boxing?

I picked up boxing in 1984, right after the Olympics. My brother had just won silver at the Los Angeles Olympics, and that inspired me to try. I started without a coach, just emulating my brother’s movements and techniques. Remarkably, four years later, I was at the Olympics myself. It was just the glory of God.

Did you feel any pressure coming from a family of boxers?

No, not at all. There was no pressure. My father passed away in 1984, and my mother never pressured me into it. Everything came naturally. Three years after starting, I became an international champion.

What are your achievements as a boxer?

I’m proud to say I’m the most decorated Nigerian boxer internationally. I was active from 1986 to 1997 before retiring. I won bronze in China and Germany in 1992, and gold in Cuba in 1995. I competed at the Olympics and so many other international competitions. Every competition, Nepal, Canada, China, I would go and achieve something.

What was your most memorable moment as a boxer?

I have many memorable moments, but winning gold in Cuba in 1995 stands out. Also, my experiences in Germany were special because I trained under a German coach who was a world champion. Though I was robbed in one fight there, it was still a memorable period because of the gifts and recognition I received.

How did you transition from boxer to coach?

After I retired, I got a second chance to come back as a national coach. During our time as boxers, we would stay in camp for six to eight months before competitions. Now things are different. For the recent African Games, we only had three weeks in camp.

What was your training approach for the African Games?

Instead of the usual two sessions, we trained three times every day within those three weeks – morning between 6:30 to 8am, afternoon by 11:30 to 12:30, and evening from 5 to 7pm. I focused on speed training, endurance and tactical training. We also prayed six times daily – before and after each training session. This intensive preparation, combined with God’s favour, brought us results.

What was your target for the African Games?

My minimum target was 10 gold medals. I took 10 boxers to the finals, and we achieved eight gold medals and two silver medals. It wasn’t easy, but I always aim to be the best among the best.

You achieved a record-breaking performance. What was your secret weapon?

I don’t really have any secret weapon. It’s just hard work, dedication, determination and prayer. I pray to God for favour, especially during the draw of fights. If the draw favours you and you’ve prepared your boxer well, you’ll come out in flying colours. I’m very transparent in my approach – my training is open for all to see.

How was the experience in Ghana during the Games?

The accommodation was challenging. We stayed in a hostel with four people to a room, including myself and the Secretary General. Transportation was okay – we had buses taking us to and from the venue, though we often returned very late, around 1 or 2 am. The feeding was excellent. Despite the challenges, we stayed focused on our goal of breaking records.

What drives your passion for developing your boxers?

What happened to me as a young boxer is why I fight so hard for my boxers now. I protect them with my blood, with my life. I’ve had to fight against sentiment and politics to give deserving boxers their chance. For example, I had to fight hard to keep some female boxers in the team when others wanted to drop them – and they went on to win gold and silver.

How do you manage your boxers’ preparation with limited camp time?

Our champions are what we call program athletes – they have to train in and out continuously. When they come to camp, we don’t have to push them to get ready for competition because they’re already training consistently. This helps us achieve results even with short camping periods like the last Commonwealth Games in Birmingham where we only had two weeks.

Can you tell us about the selection process for the African Games team?

In some weight categories, we had three or four boxers competing for one spot. We had to conduct a series of trials, competitive sparring, and evaluations to pick the best. Everyone was ready, eager, and agile to make the team. They didn’t give any trouble because they know me – they’re really lovely kids.

Which boxer impressed you the most at the African Games?

Ifeanyi (Onyekwere), my super heavyweight, really impressed me. I had trained him before the Games. There was actually some controversy about his selection – people tried to stop him from coming to camp due to sentiment, but I fought for him because I believed in his ability.