TheCable

Olaide “Fijaborn” Fijabi, former African Boxing Union (ABU) light welterweight champion, has explained why he was enraged at the press conference announcing GOtv Boxing Night 18.

Fijabi had picked tackled Rilwan “Real One” Oladosu, West African Boxing Union (WABU) lightweight champion, for standing up to ABU lightweight champion Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph.

Fijabi explained that he was irritated by the fact that Oladosu “is a sub-regional champion, who should have wait to accumulate enough experience before contemplating taking on Joe Boy for the ABU title.”

He said Oladosu should have fought all the boxers defeated by Joseph before challenging the ABU lightweight champion to a fight.

“My view is that if he wants to be considered a contender for the ABU lightweight title, he should fight and build his profile by taking on opponents that Joe Boy had defeated,” he said.

“If he had defeated them, we could have seen him as eligible to fight Joe Boy, who has fought many battles to be where he is. He is a good boxer and is sufficiently talented to defeat Joe Boy. I am not saying he will, but he can. Joe Boy can also win the fight. I just want a situation in which it will not seem he is being fast-tracked to the title.

“My point is that I don’t want the records each of the boxers have managed to build up to be damaged by a defeat to either of them. There is no out-and-out favourite between the two. Abroad, No 1 and No.2 are usually kept apart to ensure their records remain unblemished. That is the point I was making and I stand by that. Oladosu should get on the queue and wait for his time.”

For over two years, boxing fans have longed to see Joe Boy and Oladosu face each other. Both are considered the best in their category and the bout has the potential of being explosive if Joe Boy successfully defends his title at GOtv Boxing Night 18 at the Liberty Stadium, Ibadan, on April 21, his next defence may be against Oladosu.