By; AYO OJEDOKUN, Lagos
Former undisputed heavyweight boxing champion, Riddick Bowe and one time WBO heavyweight champion Ray Mercer will be leading other boxers from Europe and America to witness the WBU Super Middleweight title fight between Australian based Nigerian boxer King Davidson and his Ghanaian opponent , Daniel Sowa slated for April 7 at the Eko Hotel Conference Centre, Lagos.
Tagged ‘ World Best Boxing Festival’, and being promoted by Monarch Events Promotions, it will also feature some great boxers from United States and Europe such as Chop Chop, Jesus Ortega, Aaron Coley,Paul Venezuela,, Patrick Lopez , Eugene Buchmmelller and home boy Sule Olagbade who will all be fighting on the cards of the promoters.
Disclosing this to the media during an interactive session, Chairman/ Chief Executive Officer of the company, Prince Stanley Williams explained that the decision to stage the fight in Nigeria was to showcase some of the best boxers to boxing fans and revive the dwindling fortune of professional boxing in the country.
According to him, his company will also use the opportunity to honour some Nigerian boxing legends such as Samuel Peters, Bash Ali and Joe Lasisi amongst others while there will also be a posthumous award to late Dick Tiger Ihetu and Hogan Bassey in recognition of their contributions to the development of boxing in the country even as he stated that the fight will be spiced with musical performance by both foreign and local artists.
” We’re hosting the title fight in Nigeria because the country is the Mecca of boxing in the continent and we want to showcase some of the great boxers to the fans which will help in re- positioning professional boxing in the country. It is because of this that we are bringing in some boxing legends such as former undisputed heavyweight champion Rddick Bowe and one time WBO heavyweight champion who also holds the record ofthe only heavyweight champion that won an Olympic Gold medal, Ray Mercer to the country.
” To ensure a successful event, we have also lined up some artists such as De Carter, Niniola, CDQ, Reekado Bank and Nitra Aikan who will be performing to entertain the fans and we hope Nigerians will enjoy every bit of the event’, assured the United Kingdom based promoter.
Williams while assuring fans that all the boxers listed for the fight have all signed their contracts and are waiting to storm the country stated that as a professional boxing promotion outfit they are not going to joke with the boxers purse as all arrangements to that effect has been made.
President of Nigeria Boxing Board of Control ( NBB of C ), Dr. Rafiu Ladipo while commending the company for believing in Nigeria promised that his board is working towards staging many fights in the country.
” I’m very happy with the decision of the promoter to stage the fight in the country. Although he is based in London, but he did not allow people convince him to stage the fight in Mexico, Las Vegas or Europe but chose to return to his roots which is worthy of emulation.
” What we are witnessing today is part of my campaign promise that I will attract promoters to the country and already we have some fights lined up and very soon, we shall be having professional fights on regular basis” concluded Ladipo who also doubles as President General of Nigeria Football Supporters Club.
