ABU Light heavyweight title headlines battle of ages challenge contest

By Ifeanyi Eduzor
Boxing fans in Lagos and it’s environs will be treated to the best of boxing when the Season 2 of battle of ages boxing tournament holds Sunday, December, 18 at the Indoor Sports Hall of Teslim Balogun, Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The ten bout championship which is being put together by ‘DE LADS
‘ Boxing Promotion and sanctioned
by the Nigerian Boxing Board of
Control ( NBB of C), West African
Boxing Union ( WABU) as well as
African Boxing Union ( ABU) will see home boy Godday Akpan defend his African Light heavyweight title against Nigerian born United States of America based Abimbola Osundairo in the main fight of the day.
In a press conference to announce the fights, President of DE LAD Promotions Alhaji Wasiu Alabi noted that his organization is putting up the fights in order to change the face of boxing in NIgeria as well as give fighters opportunity to express themselves even as he commended NBB of C for their support with an appeal to all the boxers to caution their supporters against doing anything that will tarnish the image of the game.
He also announced that apart from professional fights that will be staged that day, there will also be some amateur fights which will see the best male boxer going home with N100,000 while the best female fighter will receive N50,000
” We’re putting up this fights as our little way of contributing to the growth of boxing in the country. Apart from professional fights lined up, there will also be some amateur bouts aimed at developing the sports at the grassroots.
Secretary General of NBB of C Remi Aboderin who also doubles as President of West African Boxing Union explained that the fights will live up to expectations even as he assured that the body will continue to support promoters in order to move the game forward.
” I want to assure boxing fans that the NBB of C in conjunction with the promoter have put all logistics on ground for a successful event and I can assure you there will be no dullmoment on that day”, Aboderin said.
Speaking on his preparedness for the fight, the challenger who have had four fights since joining the paid ranks explained that he’s here to dethrone the champion promising his fans that he will win by knockout.
” I’m here to show Nigerians what their citizens in the Diaspora can do. The champion knows that with me around his time is up and there will be no hidding place for him on Sunday”, began Osundairo who is ranked No 5 in United States and 42 in the world.
” What I want to tell Godday is that his reign has come to an end .Right now, he’s afraid looking at my face and am going to teach him some Boxing lessons on Sunday. He claims Boxing is his business but by the time I finish with him, he will realise he’s only a hawker in the ring while am the real businessman “, concluded the boxer who was part of United States Olympic team.
Responding, the champion maintained that the ring would decide who the real champion is, insisting that he is the better fighter and is not in a hurry to give up his belt.