Ibadan-based boxer, Rasheed Idowu, has been handed his deserved UBO African light-heavyweight belt following a contentious bout in Accra that was declared a draw despite the Nigerian knocking out his Ghanaian foe, writes PETER AKINBO

Nigerian boxer, Rasheed Idowu, has expressed delight after receiving his Universal Boxing Organisation African light-heavyweight belt on Wednesday following a contentious bout in Accra, Ghana that was later reversed in his favour.

After dominating the fight in two rounds and sending his Ghanaian opponent Bastie Samie to the canvas twice, Idowu wheeled away in victorious mood as medics anxiously tried to revive Bastie.

However, Ghanaian officials announced the fight a draw, before the UBO upturned the result in favour of the Nigerian.

The UBO belt was delivered in Nigeria by the Ghana Boxing Authority on April 17, four days after the controversial bout, and it was presented to the NBBofC chairman in Lagos State.

However, it would take 13 more days before it would be presented to its rightful owner Idowu, who lives in Ibadan, where he trains at the Francis Aiyegbeni Boxing Club, when the belt arrived.

Upon receiving his belt at the NBBofC office in Surulere, Lagos State on Wednesday, the 25-year-old’s joy knew no bounds.

“I’m so happy and I give thanks to God and big thanks to my manager Mrs Edna Aiyegbeni. It means a lot for my life that I have this belt now, I have gained more knowledge and more fans all around the world.

“That victory makes me know that my future is bright and so I will keep training to keep fit, the next step is to defend my belt and I will retain it” Idowu told The PUNCH.

On April 13, the Nigerian fondly called ‘ID Buster’ faced off against Ghanaian Samie at the Decathlon Kawukudi Park in Accra, Ghana but was controversially denied victory after knocking out his foe.

Fighting away from home, Idowu had expected a hostile environment but was still left stunned by the events that transpired afterwards in their contest for the then-vacant UBO African light-heavyweight title.

As the two traded punches, Idowu floored Samie twice in the second round with left hooks. Samie recovered from the first knockdown to the cheer of the home fans, but the home boy was due for some more punishment.

On his recovery from the first knockdown, Idowu followed it up with some combination punches and then another left hook, which sent the Ghanaian back to the canvas and out cold leaving the referee no option but to end the bout. Medical personnel rushed to the ring to revive the unconscious Samie, who laid sprawled, arms outstretched as his corner personnel frantically tried to remove his mouth guard.

Idowu and his pocket of supporters, as well as the home fans at the venue, had expected that the Nigerian pugilist would be announced as the winner by KO or TKO.

However, the shocker came soon enough for Idowu and his travelling entourage as Kotei Neequaye, the match commissioner, who is also the Ghana Boxing Authority president, and the announcer, another Ghanaian, declared the bout a “technical draw” to the bewilderment of all who witnessed the bout.

“Africa will never cease to amaze me,” stated on Instagram after the video of the fight went viral online.

Senibo John added, “For God’s sake why? Such a clear knockout, pure robbery!”

Felix Anineh added that but for the viral video, Idowu would have seen his dream dashed following the contentious decision.

Anineh wrote, “Your (Idowu) fight was so clean and you won him with class, one of the reasons why we must always have a video coverage whenever our fighters go out. We don’t know how many of our boxers that might have been robbed or treated wrongly at their foreign fights.

“To everyone that posted the video and spoke about the unjust act that happened at that fight, support for your fellow countryman is one of the easiest to fly our country flag high. Keep winning champ.”

Speaking with our correspondent on Thursday, Idowu said the announcement left him dazed.

“When I heard them announce that the fight was a draw, I was so confused because I had never seen such in my life. I couldn’t believe it,” he said.

“At that time, I just tried to calm down because I knew the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control, who sent me and my coach to Ghana must watch the fight and take necessary action.”

The Secretary-General of the NBBofC, Remi Aboderin, told The PUNCH that after watching the fight, they instantly swung into action by posting the “robbery” on social media and sending a protest letter to the UBO.

“Idowu knocked him out cold in round two and we started hearing stories. The opponent could not even stand up but the GBA (Ghana Boxing Authority) announced a technical draw, it was daylight robbery and we could not sit back and let it happen. It was so disgraceful and distasteful; that should never be allowed to stand.

“We immediately reached out to UBO for their intervention by sending the video clips and also started posting the footage of the fight online so that their attempt to shame boxing would be everywhere,” Aboderin said.

Two days after the fight, on Monday, April 15, the UBO released a statement endorsing Idowu’s victory, stating, “After watching several videos of the fight, the UBO is not able to see any illegal blows from Mr. Rasheed (Idowu). No championship-sanctioning organisation, including the UBO, has the power to overturn an official result, as this is something only the local boxing commission, in this case the Ghana Boxing Authority, can do but because the title remained vacant, the UBO is in a position, and has power, to extraordinarily decide on its ownership.

“Since we can’t see that Mr. Rasheed did anything wrong, that he was a victim of a blatant injustice and put on an amazing performance, we feel it is only right that Mr. Rasheed is recognised as the UBO Africa Light Heavyweight champion. We have since been informed in writing by the Ghana Boxing Authority that they indeed intend to overturn the announced result and declare Rasheed the official winner by second-round knockout.

“It is human to make mistakes, and we are glad that the GBA has reportedly made the right decision regarding the official result, and will report this accordingly to all record-keepers and other relevant parties.”

A Nigerian who simply addressed himself as Ahmed said the landmark decision was a positive step for African boxing.

He stated on Instagram, “A welcome development for the image of boxing in Africa! Normalising an anomaly!”

On his part, Idowu heaped praises on the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control for turning his dream to reality.

“I really want to thank the NBBofC for their efforts to correct what happened to me in Ghana and I want to thank my fans.

“Once I got to Nigeria, I felt their love even before the UBO changed the result of my fight, they never doubted me. I was so happy at that time even before I got the belt.”

Chairman, NBBofC, Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, said the GBA claimed they were worried about the home fans rioting, following the humiliating way Idowu dismissed his opponent, thus the decision to announce the fight as a technical draw.

He said, “The GBA has claimed it was a mistake, that they were worried that the fans would get aggressive, but it has been rectified, and boxing will continue to shine. Ghana boxers have been coming here for fights and we don’t cheat them, so, this would never have been allowed to stand.

“It’s a thing of joy that the injustice meted out to our boxer was corrected by the boxing body and the true champion presented with his belt. We decided to come into the matter and ensure that justice is done because in the past, we’ve seen boxers from other African countries come here to beat our boxers without being robbed of victory.

“Some time ago, a Kenyan boxer came to Ibadan and defeated one of our boxers in the presence of his home fans and we did not make any attempt to favour our boxer and that’s how it’s supposed to be done.”

Idowu, however, said the fans were thrilled by his entertaining style of boxing.

“They said they wanted to prevent the fans from rioting but the same fans were cheering when they saw a knockout because they came to be entertained.”

Aboderin who also doubles as President, West African Boxing Union, reminded the pugulist that the title is a stepping stone to more successes even as he charged him to be steadfast with a promise that the board will always defend it’s boxers.

He also announced that plans are on the pipeline to present the boxer to the Governor of Osun State; his home State, Senator Ademola Adeleke and Oyo State Governor, Seyi Makinde as well as traditional rulers in both states for their fatherly blessings and financial support. (The PUNCH)

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