Nigeria’s Onoriode ‘Godzilla’ Ewharieme captured the vacant WBF Intercontinental heavyweight title with a first-round TKO win against Argentina’s Ariel Bracamonte.
The bout headlined GOtv Boxing Night 20 Saturday night at the Tafawa Balewa Square in Lagos, Nigeria.
Ewharieme, 32, promised to knock out his opponent in the second round but it came quicker than he predicted.
The 26-year old Bracamonte started well, landing combinations but Ehwarieme began countering those shots. Following a clinch, South African referee Eddie Marshall called for action to resume and indeed it did. Ehwarieme connected with a big right hand followed by a left hook to the temple that floored Bracamonte.
Bracamonte attempted to rise, eventually beating the count and telling Marshall he was okay. The ref, however, thought otherwise, waving the fight off at 1:16 of the first.
Ewharieme, a 2008 Olympian, improves to 18-1 (17 KOs). Bracamonte drops to 9-5 (1 KO).
In the first of the double co-main event, unbeaten champion, Rilwan ‘Babyface’ Babatunde (11-0, 6 KOs) defended his West Africa Boxing Union (WABU) welterweight title with a TKO win against Ghana’s Senator Agbenyo (9-1, 9 KOs).
In the other co-main event, Rilwan ‘Real One’ Oladosu (13-0, 6 KOs) kept his unbeaten record as he successfully defended his West Africa lightweight title with a unanimous decision win over Ghanaian Eric Quarm (4-1) over 10 rounds.
Other results:
Opeyemi ‘Sense’ Adeyemi (4-0-1, 2 KOs) achieved a second-round TKO over debuting Ajibola ‘Jah’ Adeniran in a super bantamweight contest. Official time of stoppage 2:08.
Policeman Taiwo ‘Esepo’ Agbaje (9-0, 6 KOs) TKOed debutant Olusegun ‘Embargo’ Moses (0-1) in the fourth round of scheduled eight-round featherweight contest.
Rising female super featherweight Cynthia ‘Omo Bobby’ Ogunsemilore (4-0, 1 KO) defeated stubborn debutant Aminat ‘Smart’ Yekini (0-1) via four-round unanimous decision.
Controversy reared its ugly head in the third bout of the night when Sikiru ‘Omo Iya Eleja’ Shogbesan (2-2, 1 KO) was declared a split decision winner against fan favorite Ridwan ‘Scorpion’ Oyekola (5-1-1, 4 KOs). Fans jeered the shocking decision and officials were seen discussing the result in hushed tones.
Oyekola, who landed the heavier shots and rocked Shogbesan on several occasions, stormed out of the ring in anger.
In a national light heavyweight contest, Segun ‘Success’ Olanrewaju upset national champion Adewale ‘Masevex’ Masebinu with a third-round TKO win.
In a lightweight contest, Alaba ‘Elybow’ Omotola won a four-round split decision against Bolaji ‘Never Give Up’ Abdulahi in a battle of debutants.
There were intermittent musical performances by Mynflloyd, Oritsefemi, Sule Alao Malaika, T Classic, Mayorkun and Zlatan.
GOtv Boxing Night 20 card, tagged ‘Boxing Jams Music,’ was promoted by Flykite Productions, led by Jenkins Alumona and televised live around the African Continent by SuperSport.
–Ralph Chidozie George (Twitter: @ralphcgeorge)
–Photo Credit: Akin Farinto
