African Boxing Union (ABU) Lightweight champion, Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph, and West African Boxing Union (WABU) welterweight king, Rilwan “Baby Face” Oladosu have respectively tipped themselves to win the N1million cash prize and the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy attached to the best boxer award at GOtv Boxing Night 19.
The event, which will stage nine professional bouts, including two all-female encounters, will hold on 21 July at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National in Lagos.
Both boxers are previous winners of the award, with Joe Boy winning thrice and Baby Face twice. Speaking during separate radio interviews, each of the boxers boasted that he will win the prize.
“I have won this prize three times and I am sure, very sure, of winning again. Winning the prize on three occasions has really helped me and I thank the sponsors for giving encouragement to Nigerian boxers. I have my eyes on the prize,” said the ABU champion, who is billed to fight Tope “Berinja” Agboola in a national lightweight challenge contest at the event.
A similar level of confidence was expressed by the soft-spoken Baby Face, who is due to face Eden Biki of Ghana in the headline bout, an international welterweight challenge duel. The WABU champion and product of the GOtv Boxing NextGen Search, said it has been a while since he last won the prize and he is ready to claim it.
“I went off the scene for a few months, but I’m back. I’m ready to show that I’m the best. I will go home with prize after wiping the floor with Biki. I’m back and better,’ he boasted.
Big names scheduled to fight at the event also include Waidi “Skoro” Usman, former ABU featherweight champion and one-time winner of the best boxer award, who will face another past winner, Taiwo “Esepo” Agbaje, in a national challenge bout.
Similarly, on the list are Rilwan “Rilwan” Oladosu, another past winner and WABU lightweight champion, who takes on Hammed “Ese Hammed” Ganiyu in a challenge face-off; and Tope “TP Rock” Musa, who fights Kazeem “The Light” Oluwo in the featherweight division.
Other fights include two featuring females. One will see Rodiat Ibrahim facing namesake Rodiat Yusuf, while the other pitches Cynthia Ogunsemilore against Adedeji Abiodun.
The event will be broadcast live on SuperSport in 47 African countries.
