It’s Namibia versus Ghana Friday night in a classic battle between two of Africa’s greatest boxing nations.
WBO Africa featherweight champion Sebastianus Nataneal says he plans to successfully defend his title against Ghana’s John Laryea when the two throw down Friday night in Accra’s Bukom Boxing Arena.
Namibia’s Nataneal (14-2, 7 KOs) weighed 125.8 pounds at Thursday’s weigh-in to Laryea’s 124 pounds even.
“I will hand him his first career loss in Accra,” Nataneal told BoxingAfrica.com. “I am not intimidated by anyone because I know what I can do in the ring.
“Laryea can’t do anything better than me in the ring. I am confident of defending my title successfully.
“There is no way I will return to Namibia without the title,” he assured.
But 21-year-old Laryea (8-0-1, 6 KOs), Ghana’s national featherweight titlist, has the homefield advantage and plans to use it, confidently predicting an emphatic KO victory.
“This is the biggest opportunity in my young career and I can’t let it pass,” Laryea told BoxingAfrica.com. “I am predicting a seventh round knockout victory because I have had the best of preparation to deal with any threat that he brings into the ring.”
“All I need now is his belt to kickstart my world title dreams. It is the perfect opportunity to get to the top and I’m ready to embrace it.”
In his last bout, Laryea destroyed journeyman Kamarudeen Boyefio in five rounds in March. The Accra native is on a three-fight KO streak with victories over Emmanuel Allotey, Mustapha Appiah and Kamarudeen Boyefio.
Nataneal is riding a four-bout winning streak of his own, defeating Johannes Niinkoti,, Dominikus Edmund, David Shinuna and Jeremiah Mhere respectively.
In the other pairings, bantamweight prospect, Daniel Gorsh, will slug it out with Emmanuel Laryea, while Jacob Dickson engages Stephen Abbey in a cruiserweight contest.
Joseph Akai Nettey and Thomas Quansah will slug it out in a flyweight contest, Michael Mensah versus Issah Inusah in a light-heavyweight contest, while Tackie Annan and Amadu Seidu face off in a lightweight fight.
Other lightweight clashes will see Eric Korley battling Benjamin Sackey; Sherrif Quaye versus Ben Akrah, while Jacob Laryea and Richard Dogbegah meet in a welterweight fray.
