Cynthia Ogunsemilore's biography: is she suspended and why?
Cynthia Ogunsemilore is a female Nigerian professional boxer. She caught the attention of boxing enthusiasts after winning all her amateur boxing fights and making her professional debut in 2018 as a teenager. She also has an impressive boxing record in her professional career. What happened to her, and is she still in the Olympics?
Source: Getty Images
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Cynthia Ogunsemilore did not initially intend to be a boxer. Still, after some convincing from a local coach and her father, she became interested and decided to pursue her dreams in the ring. The athlete has not lost any fights in her amateur and professional career, becoming one of the most promising female Nigerian boxers. However, her dream to shine on the international stage at the 2024 Olympics was dimmed after a drug test for a banned substance turned positive.
Profile summary
Full name | Cynthia Temitayo Ogunsemilore |
Gender | Female |
Date of birth | 14 May 2002 |
Age | 22 years old (as of 2024) |
Zodiac sign | Taurus |
Place of birth | Lagos, Nigeria |
Current residence | Lagos, Nigeria |
Nationality | Nigerian |
Ethnicity | African |
Religion | Christianity |
Sexuality | Straight |
Height in feet | 6’1” |
Height in centimetres | 185 |
Weight in pounds | 134 |
Weight in kilograms | 61 |
Hair colour | Black |
Eye colour | Dark brown |
Siblings | 4 |
Relationship status | Single |
Profession | Professional boxer |
Cynthia Ogunsemilore's biography
The Nigerian professional boxer is the third-born child in a family of five children. She was raised in the Bariga neighbourhood of Lagos, Nigeria. In an interview with Olympics, she described growing up in the neighbourhood as tough as it was a hotspot for street fights and gang conflicts.
Although she is one of the most promising Nigerian female boxers in the limelight, her family is never in the spotlight. Besides mentioning that she has four siblings, their names and parents are unknown.
Cynthia began boxing when she was 12 after her father’s approval and motivation from Tajudeen Kassim, a local boxing coach, but poverty and other life frustrations threatened her boxing dream. She expressed her resilience and determination to be a successful female boxer from Bariga during the interview above, saying:
I am from Bariga, and boxers from there believe that they don’t have futures; they are like touts. Since I started boxing, everything has been hard for me. But as a Bariga girl, I am rugged; I won’t quit.
How old is Cynthia Ogunsemilore?
Source: Original
The Nigerian professional boxer is 22 years old as of 2024. She was born on 14 May 2002, and her zodiac sign is Taurus.
What is Cynthia Ogunsemilore known for?
Cynthia is best known as a female Nigerian professional boxer who has represented her country in multiple boxing tournaments. Determined to prove critics wrong, get her family out of poverty, and become a boxing queen, Cynthia Ogunsemilore started her professional career in 2018.
She has an impressive boxing record, winning all of her seven featherweight bouts. Below is a list of all her professional boxing fights.
Date | Opponent | Result |
24 December 2023 | Opeyemi Akindele | Win by technical knockout |
5 March 2022 | Tina James | Win by unanimous decision |
25 July 2021 | Popoola Sunmisola Adufe | Win by unanimous decision |
28 December 2019 | Haminat Yekindi | Win by unanimous decision |
16 November 2019 | Akinsanya Bose Rafiat | Win by unanimous decision |
21 July 2019 | Abiodun Adedeji | Win by technical knockout |
7 April 2018 | Habibat Ismail | Win by unanimous decision |
Does Cynthia Ogunsemilore have medals?
Her first boxing medal was a bronze medal in the women’s lightweight division at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, England. She later won a gold medal at the 2023 African Games in the women’s lightweight division in Accra, Ghana.
Did Cynthia Ogunsemilore qualify for the 2024 Olympics?
She secured a spot to represent her country at the 2024 Olympics in Paris, France, after finishing top in her weight category in the boxing qualifiers in Dakar, Morocco. In a TikTok post by Fight Gist Media, the female boxer reacted to qualifying for the 2024 Olympics by saying:
This is the time for me to shine. This is the time for me to be the world champion for people to know me. This is the time my name, my family name, will ring. I'm very happy with it. I'm so excited. I was here to conquer everyone and be the best.
Her qualification to the 2024 Olympics made her the second Nigerian woman to earn a qualifying spot after Edith Ogoke in 2012. She also hopes to inspire young female athletes in Nigeria and Africa.
What happened to Cynthia Ogunsemilore?
Is Cynthia Ogunsemilore suspended? After qualifying for the 2024 Olympics, she failed a drugs test, resulting in her provisional suspension. Cynthia reportedly tested positive for furosemide, a banned substance classified as a diuretic and masking agent.
Even though she can appeal against the results, the decision will not likely come out in time to let her compete in the 2024 Olympics. Therefore, the athlete will not participate in her debut bout against Chinese Shih Yi Wu in the 60kg lightweight division.
The southpaw boxer disagreed with the drug test results, saying she was willing to take another test to prove her innocence. As reported by The Sun, the boxer said:
This looks like a set-up to tarnish my image and deny me a chance to win Olympic gold. I have never doped in my life. Maybe they mistook my sample with somebody else’s but not me. They want to ruin my career. I’m still in the Games Village, and tonight there’s a hearing during which I’ll explain to them I have not taken anything, and they can test me again to prove them wrong.
Does Cynthia Ogunsemilore have a boyfriend?
Source: Getty Images
The Nigerian sports personality has not disclosed any details regarding her love life. Therefore, she is presumably not in a relationship at the moment. It is also unknown whether the boxer has children.
Cynthia Ogunsemilore’s height and weight
The African Games boxing gold medalist is approximately 6 feet 1 inch (185 centimetres) tall. Her weight is estimated to be 134 pounds (61 kilograms).
Fast facts about Cynthia Ogunsemilore
- When is Cynthia Ogunsemilore’s birthday? She was born on 14 May 2002 and is 22 as of 2024.
- Where does Cynthia Ogunsemilore come from? She was born and raised in the Bariga neighbourhood of Lagos, Nigeria.
- Does Cynthia Ogunsemilore have siblings? She is the third child among five children in her family.
- What is Cynthia Ogunsemilore’s profession? The Lagos native is a professional female boxer.
- Has Cynthia Ogunsemilore lost any professional fight? She started her pro career in 2018 and has won all her seven professional bouts.
- Why was Cynthia Ogunsemilore suspended from boxing? The athlete tested positive for a banned substance, rendering her out of the 2024 Paris Olympics.
- Has Cynthia Ogunsemilore won any medals? She has won two medals: a bronze medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games and a gold medal at the 2023 African Games.
- Is Cynthia Ogunsemilore married? The professional athlete has not revealed whether she is in a romantic relationship and is presumably single.
- How tall is Cynthia Ogunsemilore? She is about 6 feet 1 inch (185 centimetres) tall.
Despite her provisional suspension from boxing, Cynthia Ogunsemilore is undoubtedly one of Nigeria’s most promising female boxing talents. Hailing from a poor family, she has risen against all odds to become a globally recognised boxer, having not lost a fight in her amateur and pro careers so far. She has been boxing since 12, determined to improve her family’s financial status and inspire young female athletes in different fields.
Legit.ng recently published Ed O’Neill’s biography. He is an American comedian, film actor, and ex-football player. Ed is best recognised for his role in the comedy TV series Married… with Children.
Ed O’Neill has been in the US entertainment industry since 1980 when he started acting. He is believed to have amassed significant wealth, having been featured in over 70 films and TV series. What is his net worth? Have a look at his biography for more info.
Source: Legit.ng
