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 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 encounters 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 defeated me before but even the fight that he said he won, I was robbed. How could someone be fighting three rounds and they were watching 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 chances and insulting Joe Boy at every opportunity, including at press conferences, 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 international 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 Hogan Jimoh vs Dele Jonathan, both deceased; and Joe Lasisi vs Jerry Okorodudu.
