Governor Isiaka Ajimobi of Oyo State and the Alaafin Oyo, Oba Lamidi Adeyemi 111, are among several dignitaries expected to grace GOtv Boxing Night 15, which holds at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo (formerly Liberty) Stadium in Ibadan on Sunday.
Governor Ajimobi is expected to be the special guest, while the Alaafin, a famous boxing enthusiast, is expected to be the father of the day at the event. Also expected are authority figures in Nigerian boxing and sports in general.
Speaking on the event, Jenkins Alumona, Managing Director of Flykite Promotions, organisers of the event, noted that Ibadan has a rich association with boxing. The city hosted the first world boxing title fight in Africa when Nigeria’s Dick Tiger beat Gene Fullmer to win the world middleweight boxing title at the Liberty Stadium in 1962.
“Ibadan is one of Nigeria’s sporting cities. We have been there before with GOtv Boxing Night and we are happy to return to the iconic Liberty Stadium. We are happy to receive the governor and the royal father, who is a former boxer and remains a big supporter of the sport,” said Alumona.
GOtv Boxing Night 15 will feature seven fights, including the African Boxing Union (ABU), lightweight title bout between incumbent champion, Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph of Nigeria and Ghana’s Nathaniel Nukpe. The fight line-up also includes an international light middleweight challenge between Akeem “Dodo” Sadiku of Nigeria and Franc Houanvoegbe of Benin Republic, a national challenge bout between ABU welterweight champion, Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi and Kazeem “Iberu” Ariyo; as well as a national cruiserweight clash between Michael “Lion Heart” Godwin and Idowu “ID Cabasa” Okusote,
Prince “Lion” Nwoye will square up against Ridwan “Scorpion” Oyekola in a national lightweight duel; Vincent “Dada” Essien and Segun “Showboy” Olalehin will trade punches for a national light welterweight contest; while Daniel “Big Shark” Emeka and Sulaimon “Olags” Adeosun will slug it out in a national light heavyweight clash.
The event, sponsored by GOtv and Bet King, will be beamed live on SuperSport in 47 African countries. The best boxer at the event will go home with a cash prize of N1 million alongside the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy.
(The Nation)
