Team Nigeria Suffers 2nd Boxing Defeat As Akintola Crashes Out Of Glasgow 2026 Games

Team Nigeria suffered another setback in the boxing competition at the ongoing Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games on Saturday after David Akintola was eliminated in the men’s 80kg category.

Akintola lost 4-1 on points to Tanzania’s Yusuf Lucasi Changalawa in the Round of 32 following a closely contested three-round bout.

The Nigerian entered the competition with high hopes after declaring his ambition to win a Commonwealth Games gold medal, but his campaign came to an early end against a determined Tanzanian opponent.

Akintola showed flashes of quality throughout the contest and battled gamely, but Changalawa finished strongly, landing several telling punches in the closing stages to sway the judges in his favour.

A crucial exchange in the final round saw Changalawa connect with a clean right hand, underlining his strong finish and helping him secure a convincing victory on the scorecards.

The defeat means Akintola becomes the second Nigerian boxer to exit the Glasgow Games, following Abdulramon Abdulwahab’s elimination in the men’s 65kg category.

Abdulwahab had earlier suffered a unanimous 5-0 defeat to Uganda’s Nuhu Batte in the Round of 32, leaving Nigeria still searching for its first boxing victory of the Games.

Akintola’s elimination will be particularly disappointing given his confidence before the competition.

“My target is to win the gold medal. I believe in my ability, and I have worked hard to prepare for this competition,” the boxer had said before travelling to Scotland.

However, his gold-medal ambition was ended by a composed Changalawa, who executed his tactics effectively to earn his place in the Round of 16.

With two Nigerian boxers already eliminated, the pressure is now on the remaining members of the boxing contingent to revive the country’s campaign and keep alive hopes of a podium finish.

Boxing has traditionally been one of Nigeria’s strongest medal-producing sports at the Commonwealth Games, and the remaining fighters will be expected to shoulder the responsibility of restoring the country’s challenge in the ring.

Akintola’s exit comes as Team Nigeria continues to enjoy an impressive campaign in Glasgow, particularly in para powerlifting, where the country has already secured multiple medals and broken world records.