Lagos, Apr 17 (IANS): Nigeria's Boxing Board of Control (NBBC) has appealed to the government to grant adequate tax rebates for corporate organisations that sponsor professional boxing in the country.

Secretary of the organisation Remi Aboderin said here Wednesday that such gestures would attract corporate sponsors to boxing and other sports. He added that the board had a long list of boxers who want to turn professional but lack of promoters was stalling the growth of professional boxing, reports Xinhua.

He said that sports sponsorships ought to be thriving in Nigeria because of the large number of corporate organisations. The secretary said that professional boxing needed huge funds and good organisation for it to bring back good fortunes.

Aboderin added the sport would benefit Nigeria's foreign exchange as well as put the country's name on sports' world map. Aboderin also appealed to individuals to assist the board to perform its primary function of regulating professional boxing.