7th October, 2011
A Ghanian boxer, George Ashie, has vowed to batter Nigerian-born, Holland based-boxer, Innocent Anyanwu, when the two pugilists climb the ring on 15 October for the vacant Commonwealth belt.
The clash between Ashie (21-3-1 (14 KOs) and the highly rated Anyanwu (21-1-2, 13 KOs) thus eclipses the Interim World Boxing Organisation, WBO, Africa Junior Lightweight contest between Osumanu Akaba of Ghana and Benin’s Theodore Lokossou to become the headliner of the Night of Only the Strong boxing championship with the venue still the Lebanon House in Tudu, Accra.
But Ghanaian George Ashie remains upbeat about securing victory by outpunching the Nigerian hitman and in turn become the new Commonwealth champion.
“No problem, I’ve prepared, I’ve been training, even now I’m just coming back from training and I’m ready because this is a big chance and I cannot afford to let it slip.
“He is a good boxer but I want to assure my fans that victory will be ours. No problem at all because we are going all the way to the top,†said Ashie.
Though born in Nigeria, 29 years old Innocent Anyanwu has lived all his fight life in the Netherlands of which he is the national Super Featherweight champion and only suffered his first career loss in his penultimate fight before this when he challenged for the European Boxing Association Super Featherweight title last year.
Speaking on the coming bout, the Secretary General of the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control, NBB of C, Remi Aboderin, expressed confidence in the Holland-based pugilist to outpunch his opponent.
“I have no doubt that Anyanwu will beat the Ghanaian boxer. You will see it in his record that he has lost only one fight in his career. He would have suffered several defeats if he is not a good boxer. I believe he will beat Ashie and secure the Commonwealth vacant belt,†said the NBB of C scribe.
—Bimbo Ajayi