Nigerian female boxer Aishat Gbadamosi is turning a childhood interest into a promising sporting career, having progressed from fighting among schoolmates to representing the country at an international boxing championship.
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Gbadamosi, who started boxing at the age of eight, recently competed at the 2026 African Elite Men’s and Women’s Boxing Championships in Nairobi, Kenya, where she reached the quarter-final stage.
Speaking on Inside Naija on Sport247 after the competition, the young boxer revealed that her journey into the sport began during her secondary school days, when she was known for getting into fights.
However, what started as a childhood habit gradually became a serious ambition after she recognised the opportunities boxing could offer her.
“Instead of me getting up and down, I sat down and asked myself, instead of fighting around, why don’t I just focus on this thing? Then I know I have a future in it,” she explained.
Her decision to pursue boxing professionally was not initially welcomed by everyone around her. Gbadamosi recalled that some neighbours questioned her father’s decision to allow a female child to participate in the sport.
Despite the criticism, her parents remained supportive, with her mother particularly standing behind her decision to continue training.
According to the Aishat, her experience in the sport has helped her develop important values beyond physical strength.
“Being a boxer, you have to be respectful,” she said, adding that athletes must remain calm and humble regardless of their achievements.
Beyond boxing, Gbadamosi is also looking towards furthering her education. Having completed secondary school, she disclosed that she is currently seeking university admission while remaining committed to her sporting career.
With international experience already behind her, the young boxer hopes to achieve bigger things in the next five years through consistent training and determination.
Her journey reflects how an early interest, when properly guided and supported, can develop into a serious sporting ambition.
