Boxing: Muibi Challenges Appah for WBO Africa Cruiserweight Title

The Nigerian boxing scene is set to witness another major title fight after reigning Nigerian and West African light heavyweight champion Lekan “The Engine” Muibi challenged newly crowned WBO Africa cruiserweight champion Godday “Zodsolo” Appah for his title. 

Muibi who has a fearsome record of 20 wins in 20 fights, (19 of them via knockouts), threw down the gauntlet to his rival yesterday, stressing that he is willing to go up to the cruiserweight in order to become a two-division champion. 

Appah claimed the title on the May 1  in Lagos by defeating fellow Nigerian boxer, Ezra “The King” Arenyeka via majority decision in a 10-round bout, improving his record to 15 wins, 2 losses and no draws with 13 knocouts. According to Muibi, he feels Appah, who had challenged him before facing Arenyeka, is too scared to face him and promised to stop him.

“I want to move up to cruiserweight,” he said. “I’ve cleaned out my division. All possible challengers here in Nigeria and West Africa are too scared to face me so i’ve run out of opponents.

“It’s just a 5kg difference. It’s an easy jump to make. And as a matter of fact, i specifically want to face Godday Appah aka Zodsolo. Earlier this year, he called me out on Instagram, saying all kinds of stuff. And when my management tried to make the fight, he ducked and ran like a coward. He took the easier option of fighting Ezra Arenyeka for the WBO Africa cruiserweight belt.

“Congratulations to him on the win. But now i’m coming for him. If he has the balls, he should stop running and face me in the ring. I will break him down and take his title from him. God willing, i am going to stop him and become a two-division champion,” he concluded.

Muibi’s coach, Monsuru Kelani aka Coach Confidence, also believes Muibi has what it takes to wrest the title from Appah.

“We will beat Zod. I’m 100% sure of it,” he said. “Lekan is no ordinary fighter. He’s too strong, too talented, too ferocious and too relentless. 

“I’m a man of few words. But i will say this: If Zod has the balls to accept the challenge,I promise, he will face the biggest challenge of his career. We will stop him and take his belt. It’s not a promise. It’s a guarantee,” boasts the coach.

Boxing in Lagos is witnessing a rennaissance of sorts with record breaking scenes witnessed at the much touted clash between Lagos city rivals Taiwo “Eshepo” Agbaje and Tosin “Sojar Boy” Osaigbovo on Sunday 26th April 2026. Agbaje claimed the vacant WBA Africa Lightweight title by unanimous decision after 10 rounds of an all-action fight. All eyes are now on Appah to see if he will accept Muibi’s challenge.