Nigeria’s only female boxer at the 6th Saudi Solidarity Games in Riyadh, Adeshina Zainab Motunrayo, delivered a standout performance to clinch a silver medal in the women’s 51kg boxing event, reinforcing Nigeria’s growing presence on the global stage.
Motunrayo showcased remarkable grit and ring intelligence on Monday night before bowing to Turkey’s Rabia Topuz, whose superior technique forced the referee to stop the contest in the third round after the Nigerian received two counts.
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The Nigerian fighter had earlier punched her way into the final with a commanding 4–1 semi-final victory over Algeria’s Mansouri Fatiha, guaranteeing Nigeria a spot on the podium. While Topuz claimed the gold, Motunrayo leaves Riyadh with her head held high and a silver medal that signals promise for future championships.
Nigeria’s two-man boxing contingent, coached by Oyeleye Abayomi, also featured Raheem Ridwan in the men’s 65kg welterweight category. Ridwan narrowly missed a place in the final after a 4–1 split decision loss to Uzbekistan’s Abdullahi Madaminov in the semi-finals.
Vice President of the Nigeria Boxing Federation (NBF), Hon. Omonlei Imadu, commended the athletes for their resilience and competitive spirit, describing the outing as “a commendable step toward Nigeria’s return to global boxing relevance.”
He revealed that the NBF will now pivot toward preparations for major international qualifiers in 2026, while rolling out nationwide grassroots programmes to “fish out and groom the next generation of boxing talent across Nigeria.”
Motunrayo’s silver now stands as a confidence-boosting milestone for Nigerian boxing, signalling a renewed charge for podium finishes at future continental and world competitions.
