7th March, 2014
An appeal has gone to Nigerians to give the necessary support to Bash Ali’s quest to set a Guinness Book of World Record (GWR) by being the oldest man to win a world boxing title.
Nigeria’s own Ali, former cruiser weight champion of the world is set to slug it out with Rick Camlin in the USA International Union Boxing Championship unification fight on 31 May, 2014.
Ali who is 58 years old will be setting a world record by fighting at that age with an opponent who is 11 years younger.
Making an appeal in Lagos, the Baale of Omole, Alhaji Nasiru Bakare said Bash Ali needs all the necessary support in terms of cash and kind to bring glory to Nigeria.
Let us give champion Bash Ali all the necessary support in cash and kind, including prayers to uplift the glory of this nation in boxing so that our country can be documented in the Guinness book of world record as the oldest boxer that ever stepped into the ring.
“I am sure Bash Ali will never disappoint us. He is a man who will never allow somebody to humiliate him. He will prefer to die inside the ring,” Alhaji Bakare stated.
The Omole traditonal ruler described Bash Ali further as a patriot who is training hard to etch the name of Nigeria in world history by becoming the oldest man to win a world boxing championship.
“Bash Ali will shock the world and rewrite the history of boxing. He has a reliable record that one can be proud of. He has won several titles including the World Boxing Federation Cruiser Weight title (WBF), United States Boxing Association (USBA) Cruiser weight title in 1985, Nigeria Heavyweight title in 1988, World Boxing Control (WBC) international cruiserweight title in 1990, African Heavyweight title in 1993 and World Boxing Federation (WBF) Cruiserweight title in 2000.
…BAFCON Rallies Nigerians
The Gunness World Record, GWR, fight between Nigerian Bashiru Lawrence Ali, OON, and American Rick Camlin has been described as a boxing championship that must receive good support from Nigerians both at home and abroad.
President of Bash Ali Fans Club of Nigeria, BAFCON, Comrade Dickson Ayorinde Oshin said in Lagos that President Goodluck Jonathan believes in the dream of Bash Ali to rewrite world boxing history, hence the support he is giving for the fight. He said people of high calibre in the Local Organising Committee, LOC, headed by former Sports Minister Bala Ka’oje has shown that the Edo State-born World Boxing Federation, WBF’s cruiserweight champion is not alone in his quest to shock the world come 31 May this year.
“That is why we are calling on eminent Nigerians, Corporate Nigeria, state governments and ordinary citizens to rally round our own Bash Ali,” said Oshin
He said BAFCON, a non governmental organisation with member spread across the nation, has been mobilising Nigerian youths for the epic fight, adding that more Nigerians are being called upon to join the BAFCON as the fight day is getting closer.
“We are having a good number of people asking us about the fans club and Bash Ali’s fight. We are mobilising support for our own and I believe Bash Ali’s Project is for all Nigerians to embrace and stand up to support.
“We want to thank our dear president, Goodluck Jonathan and all members of the Federal Executives as well as members of the LOC for what they had done, still doing and will continue to do for the fight to see the light of the day,” Oshin said.