It’s going down on Friday, November 8, as Saleh Gloves Promotions presents the “BoxChamp Festival” at Queens Park Event Center in Victoria Island in Lagos, Nigeria.
The event features a stacked card full of action, headlined by World Boxing Federation (WBF) Africa cruiserweight champion Tony “Sugar” Salam (13-2, 8 KOs) as he seeks to add the World Boxing Organization (WBO) Africa cruiserweight belt versus Namibia’s Vikapita “Beast Master” Meroro (29-8, 14 KOs).
The winner moves up the rankings, inching closer to a shot at the WBO world cruiserweight belt.
“The BoxChamp Festival is a world class premium boxing event to put Nigeria on the world map and to prove to everyone that together we can put up a big show in the country so expect war and fireworks.” Said Saleh Fawaz, the CEO of Saleh Gloves Promotion.
Salam last fought on December 22, 2018, when he knocked out Kwesi Tutu of Ghana in Lagos. Meroro’s most recent bout occurred on October 20, 2019, a unanimous decision loss to unbeaten Akani Phuzi of South Africa.
A win for Salam moves him into the WBO top 15 rankings at cruiserweight, making him eligible to fight for a world title.
“I don’t boast but I can tell you that I will knock him out because he is just a bum” a confident Salam told BoxingAfrica.com. “All I want now is to use him as a ladder to climb up the rankings and get my chance to fight for the big one.”
The co-main event features Larry “The Natural” Ekundayo (15-1, 3 KOs), the current International Boxing Federation (IBF) European welterweight champion, against an opponent to be determined.
Further, both the Nigeria National featherweight and West Africa Boxing Union (WABU) featherweight titles will be at stake when Riliwan “D Real Show Boy” Lawal (8-0, 4 KOs) battles Fatai “Prince” Nurudeen (6-7, 3 KOs).
Taiwo “Gentle Boy” Olowu (6-0, 5 KOs) will face Kazeem “Jombo” Ariyo (4-8, 3 KOs) for the vacant National welterweight title.
Another belt on the line is the National light welterweight title which will be contested for by Samuel “Block Buster” Opaogun (5-1, 4 KOs) and Waliu “Oganla” Arogundade (0-5).
Other Bouts
International Super Welterweight Contest:
Nigeria-based Lebanese, Hussein Mahdi (2-0, 2 KOs) vs Akeem Adekunle (Nigeria)
Super Middle Weight Eliminator (Winner earns the right to challenge for the National title):
Godday Appah (3-0, 3 KOs) vs Olarewaju Segun (1-0)
Super Featherweight Contest:
Tope “TP Rock” Musa (6-1, 5 KOs) vs Taofik “Taozon” Bisuga (11-6, 10 KOs)
–Ralph Chidozie George
