African Boxing Union
(ABU) lightweight
champion, Oto “Joe Boy”
Joseph, has warned his
challenger and West African Boxing
Union champion, Rilwan “Real One”
Oladosu, to expect something worse
than hell when they clash at GOtv
Boxing Night 20 on 12 October for
the ABU title in the weight division.
The bout, slated for the Indoor
Sports Hall of the National Stadium,
Lagos, is the biggest of the eight en-
counters billed to hold at the event.
A thick flood of bad blood is flowing
between both boxers, who are rated
the best in the division locally and
internationally, a situation for which
analysts have dubbed the contest
“fight of the decade”.
In an interview at his training
base in Lagos on Wednesday, Joe
Boy said he is motivated to severely
punish Real One for all the insults
he has publically hurled at him. He
also denied his challenger’s claims of
serial victories over him during their
time in the amateur ranks.
“I’m really prepared for this fight
because I know it’s a very big fight
for me. Rilwan was there before me,
but I have leapfrogged him.
“He has been claiming that he de-
feated me before but even the fight
that he said he won, I was robbed.
How could someone be fighting
three rounds and they were watch-
ing the time at 1 minute 30 seconds?
So, I’m really prepared. Over the
12 rounds that we are scheduled
to fight, he will be in a place worse
than hell and that is if he lasts the
distance. I’m going to beat him black
and blue on that day,” boasted Joe
Boy.
The WABU champion has never
shied from talking up his chanc-
es and insulting Joe Boy at every
opportunity, including at press con-
ferences, where they almost came
to blows; GOtv Boxing Night 18
venue as well in radio and television
interviews.
He is unwavering in his belief that
he defeated Joe Boy in the amateur
cadre and believes that he is well
placed to inflict a first professional
defeat on the champion and wrest
the ABU title from him. Most boxing
analysts and fans believe that there is
little to choose between both boxers,
who have seen off local and inter-
national opponents almost without
fuss. While Joe Boy is rated as having
better punching power, Real One is
viewed as one with sufficient guile to
neutralize the champion’s menace.
Analysts have put the upcoming
fight in the same category as the
fierce 80s rivalries featuring Ho-
gan Jimoh vs Dele Jonathan, both
deceased; and Joe Lasisi vs Jerry
Okorodudu.
