Boxing: The Nigerian Olympian who trains champions in a gym with no room for a ring

As a result of the gym’s limitations, Effiong deploys more cardiovascular activities instead of bag work, such as running and skipping.

“The challenge is to bring out another Olympian,” he says of his enduring ambition.

“We don’t have the equipment. We don’t have gloves. I can’t afford to buy equipment like we used to and we have no sponsor.

“The state wants us to produce champions, but what makes a champion? They didn’t think about that.

“I need a sponsor. I need somebody that will back me, because I don’t want this talent to die out.”

The predicament of the gym is reflective of the challenges facing many people in Nigeria. “Not a lot of people want to invest,” says Nkanga. “Boxing and being Nigerian is already a challenge.

“How do they keep going, day to day? They need to eat, pay bills and feed their families.

“In some cases, you might have your family telling you to get married or do some other work. You have famous boxers but it’s not the most popular sport, so a lot of people would rather invest in football first.

“A lot of the challenges they face are about being Nigerian in that economy. They are really underfunded.

“There were a lot of men there, but I felt that it was important and a stronger story to tell of these two women who are sparring with the men, training with them, trying to get to the next level of their careers.

“For them, it’s also a place to go and forget about all the economic hardships that are happening, just for however long they train.

“They see it as a family. It’s very important to have that kind of community aspect. The club is seen as a safe space rather than being out there in the world.”