GOtv Boxing Night: Stakeholders, Fans Hail Organisers

Stakeholders and fans of boxing in the country have lauded GOtv, headline sponsors of GOtv Boxing Night, for the successful organisation of the fourth edition of the six-bout professional boxing event and contributions to the revival of the sport.
The event, which held on Sunday at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos, left stakeholders and the audience in raptures.

Secretary-General of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C) Mr. Remi Aboderin described GOtv Boxing Night as the lifeline that has saved the sport from going into extinction.

“Everybody associated with boxing must be grateful to GOtv for rescuing the sport from the doldrums. Without funding and high quality organisation by GOtv and Flykite Productions, the promoters, I shudder to think what could have happened to boxing,” he said.

Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, President-General of the Nigerian Supporters Club and member of the NBB of C, shares similar sentiments. ” GOtv has offered boxers the opportunity of fighting more regularly, something that was not happening before, and the sport is back on a sound footing. If we keep this up, the sport will fully recover in no time,” he said.

Fans at the event were effusive in their commendations for the sponsors, with many of them hoping that the event grows and for the country to produce a world champion soon.

Ottoh “Joe Boy” Joseph was the revelation of the fourth edition of the GOtv Boxing Night, as he was named the best boxer of the event. He defeated Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai in a National Lightweight challenge contest to win the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy and the cash prize of N1m.

Boxing Fans at the 3rd GOtv Boxing Night held at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium Surulere, Lagos.

Another winner on the night was Waidi “Skoro” Usman, the West African Featherweight champion, who knocked out Taofik “Taozon” Bisuga in the fourth round of their eight-round contest. Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, first winner of the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy and the N1m cash prize, also came out triumphant when he defeated Saheed “Happy Boy” Olayiwola by a fifth round knockout of Light Welterweight challenge contest. Isiaka “Easy Lion” Yusuf was knocked out by Stanley “Edo Boy” Eribo in the third round of their National Featherweight challenge bout.

The night’s major bout saw Nigeria’s Isaac Ekpo, a former Commonwealth Super Middleweight champion, accounting for Burkina Faso’s Jules Kabore, who was knocked out in the fifth round of the scheduled 10-round bout. The first fight of the night featured Jamiu “Naval Man” Olabode against Pelumi “Haggler” Sodubi, who was knocked in the second round.
The tournament is supported by other corporate bodies like MultiChocie, SuperSport, KSquare Security, Custodian Assurance Limited, Complete Sports, Brilla FM, Bond FM and Newsbreak.ng.

GOtv Boxing Night: Fists Set To Fly

Today, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium in Lagos, another feast of boxing will be laid before fans. The occasion is the fourth edition of the GOtv Boxing Night, a six-fight professional boxing event that has successfully rebooted public interest in the sport as well as banished the long wait that boxers had to endure between fights.

Just as it was at the last edition of the event, the best boxer of the evening will go home with a N1million and a laurel, the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy, for his outstanding performance.

The first winner of the prize, Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, has a chance to further cement his reputation as a genuine article when he takes on Saheed “Happy Boy” Olayiwola in an eight-round National Light Welterweight challenge bout.

Olaide Fijabi, winner of a trophy and One Million Naira during 3rd GOtv Boxing Night held at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium Surulere, Lagos.

Fijabi, whose rapid-fire punching has made him a darling of boxing fans around the country, has already vowed to win the prize again. Will he? It is not unsafe to bet against him repeating the feat.

But he may have to stand out a lot more, given the calibre of boxers featuring at the tourney.

The duo of Nigeria’s Isaac “Grenade” Ekpo, a former Commonwealth Super Middleweight champion, and Burkina Faso’s Jules Kabore have the profile to thwart Fijabi’s bid for another big pay day when they clash in an international challenge bout, the headline fight at the event.

Ekpo, an ex-Olympian, is rated eighth in world. His Burkinabe opponent has a record that suggests he is no soft touch.

Of his seven fights, he won four by knockout, two by unanimous decision and one by points, a record Ekpo considers as having no relevance to today’s duel. “I will make him see hell before knocking him out in the fourth round,” boasted the Nigerian.

In another big fight, Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai, National Lightweight champion, will take on Ottoh “Joe Boy” Joseph in a challenge contest. Also on the card is Waidi “Skoro” Usman, West African Featherweight champion, who is up against Taofik “Taozon” Bisuga.

Skoro, a big draw among boxing fans, has vowed to send the more experienced Bisuga into retirement.

The fight line-up is completed by the Light Welterweight challenge duel between Stanley “Edo Boy” Eribo and Isiaka “Easy Lion” Yusuf and the six-round Welterweight challenge bout featuring Jamiu “Naval Man” Ajibola and Pelumi “Haggler” Sodubi.

Boxing Fans at the 3rd GOtv Boxing Night held at the Indoor Sports Hall of National Stadium Surulere, Lagos.

Boxing fans at the venue have a chance to win 50 GOtv decoders, provided by the sponsors, through lucky dips to be held between fights. The first 500 fans to arrive the venue are guaranteed to go home with gifts like high quality T-shirts, ball pens, bags, diaries and water bottles.

The organisers have already assured fans of adequate protection from intimidation and harassment in around the venue of the event. Jenkins Alumona, Managing Director of Flykite, promoters of the event, disclosed that KSquare Security, a top class firm in partnership with GOtv Boxing Night, will provide security around the venue.

Sponsored by pay-TV company, GOtv, the tournament which started last November, also held in March and July. GOtv Boxing Night is supported by other corporate bodies like MultiChocie, SuperSport, KSquare Security, Custodian Assurance Limited, Complete Sports, Brilla FM, Bond FM and Newsbreak.ng. The event will be broadcast live on SuperSport.