By Adebobola Alawode
With barely 24 hours to the ‘Nationalist Pride’ professional boxing tournament, put together by Remi Aboderin’s Freels and Threels in conjunction with African Star, boxers billed to slug it out in the competition are already spitting fire.
Some of them who spoke with Boxing In Focus are already spoiling for war as the D-Day draws nearer. World Boxing Council (WBC) and African Boxing Union (ABU) bantamweight contender, Kenya’s Nick Otieno, who arrived the country yesterday, said his mission to Nigeria is to dethrone the reigning ABU Bantamweight Champion and the WBC international contender, Nigeria’s Adewale ‘Oke Ibadan’ Ibrahim. He said he is battle ready for the reigning ABU champion.
The dark-skinned professional pugilist said he would be consolidating on the victory of the first black president of the United States of America, Kenya’s Barack Obama. He vowed not to leave anything to chance in ensuring that he returns to Nairobi with the coveted ABU belt.
According to him: “it is a good thing to be in Nigeria; the atmosphere and weather here is something to behold, but I can’t be carried away because my mission to Ibadan, Oyo state, is to dethrone Ibrahim. I’m also unperturbed that the fight is holding tomorrow, in Nigeria. All I know is that I would be going back to Kenya with the ABU belt; nothing short of that will make my trip to the most populous black nation complete and worthwhile”.
Responding to his challenger’s comments and threats of dethroning him as the ABU champion, Ibrahim, a bantamweight WBC international contender, revealed that he is not under any pressure to defeat his opponent. He vowed to kill his opponent before getting to the third round.
Ibrahim, who is yet to be handed a defeat in his professional boxing career, promised to justify the confidence reposed in him by the Oyo state government, traditional rulers and the people of Oyo state by taking Otieno to the cleaners, despite his prowess, when they confront each other tomorrow, at Mapo Hall, Oyo state.
According to the Oyo state-born professional pugilist, “Otieno, who is my challenger is spitting fire and brimstone; it is good that he has shown that he is an orator. I would rather wait till we step into the squared rope tomorrow before settling scores. I also want to assure the Alaafin of Oyo, the Olubadan of Ibadan, governor of Oyo state and the entire country that I won’t put them to shame.”
In the same vein, Nigeria’s national light heavyweight champion, Isaac ‘The Grenade’ Ekpo, has also vowed to crush the bones of Ghana’s Mohammed Baameye, not taking into cognisance the fact that his opponent is much bigger and has a longer reach. He declared emphatically that his opponent will either join his ancestors or go back to Ghana with a lot of injuries, which may as well deny him the opportunity of having a splendid Christmas celebration.
Boasting ahead of the light heavyweight bout, Ekpo, a Nigerian soldier, threatened that: “Baameye! Baameye! You are in for real trouble, your bones will be flattened tomorrow, and you may also join your ancestors because I have just returned from the dark forest. I have an insatiable desire for blood and I pray you have enough blood running in your veins because I want to feast on it.”
Responding to Ekpo’s threats, Baamaye stated that he is not in the habit of joining issues with his opponents, stressing that Ekpo’s words were mere threats as he can’t be intimidated in any way.
Speaking on his readiness for Ekpo’s confrontation tomorrow, Baamaye who loves eating bankou said: “With due respect, as Ekpo is the Nigerian champion, I am also Ghana’s champion. I would rather wait till tomorrow, when we can settle scores instead of exchanging words on the pages of newspapers because it is only empty barrels that make noise.”
In the lightweight category, where Prince Nurudeen of Nigeria squares up against Samuel Savi of the Republic Du Benin, both boxers have been engaged in a war of words, bragging that one of them must die. Savi threw the first salvo in his smattering English language. The bulky boxer said he is not in Ibadan as a tourist in the ancient city. He added that it will not be business as usual for Nurudeen. According to the Benin boxer, “Ibadan is a city to behold. I have visited some nice places, but I’m not in Nigeria to see the beautiful places but to fight and fight real good. Nurudeen will definitely kiss the canvass before round four, I can assure him of that”.
Not worried by Savi’s threats, Nurudeen said the prospect of him losing to his opponent is not the issue as he is looking forward to the fight with high hopes of beating his opponent black and blue.
“It is barely 24 hours to the fight and I don’t want to comment on the fight. I remain upbeat that I will come out victorious and unscathed at the end of the bout,” Nurudeen assured. The three national title bouts promise to be explosive as the six boxers involved are already gunning for one another’s jugular. In the light middleweight category, Adebisi Wahab, the national champion, faces challenger, Afees Beyioku. Both of them have vowed to thrill boxing fans, with a promise that one of them must go before getting to the final round. While Wahab believes he has the wherewithal to retain the title, his challenger has vowed not only to dethrone him, but to also send him into early retirement.
The champion said, “Beyioku is my boy. He will continue to be and I know tomorrow will not be different”. Beyioku responded: “Bros, be prepared for the worst; you are the champion no doubt about that. All I know is that you will be dethroned and sent into early retirement tomorrow. No cause for alarm”.
Sunday Ajayi, who will be defending his light welterweight title against Ahmed Yusuf, said his challenger will have no place to hide as he would make the ring so hot for him that he would “run from corner to corner before I nail him finally”.
Replying, Yusuf revealed that he is prepared for the champion, stressing that he won’t respect the reigning champion when they both square up tomorrow. Meanwhile, Remi Aboderin of Freels and Threels Boxing Promotions, promoters of the fight, has assured that the event will be the talk of the town for a long time, adding that there are a lot of side attractions awaiting those who will be part of the epoch-making event.
According to him, “Gbenga Adeyinka will be on hand to entertain boxing lovers. Apart from him, there are others, who have indicated interests to be part of the event, and we are looking at the possibility of incorporating them”.
Aboderin showered praises on the Oyo state government for supporting the making of a world champion after Samuel ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ Peter was dethroned as the World Boxing Council heavyweight champion by returnee boxer, Vitali Klitchko.
Comment