Sports
Enyimba Wrestling Championship Rescheduled For Oct 11
The millennium wrestling championship tagged “The Battle at Enyimba” billed for the Enyimba Stadium yesterday which would have seen African Wrestling Heavyweight sensation, Osita Offor (a.k.a Ultimate Commander) defend his title against Joe Legend of Canada has been postponed.
The championship which would see about 16 world class wrestlers, including South Africa-based, Nigerian-born boxing champion, Kilmanjaro, take Aba, the commercial hub of Abia State by storm, will now hold on October 11, 2009.
Spokesman for The Ultimate Wrestling and Charity Organisation (TUWCO), promoters of the championship, and Nollywood megastar, Zack Orji, said the original date has to be changed to give Ultimate Commander time to recover from injuries he suffered during his recent fight in Scotland.
“As you all know, the Battle at Enyimba was originally scheduled for the 23rd of August, 2009, being yesterday. But because of the closeness between that date and the date of the fight which just held in Scotland and the fact that he (Ultimate Commander) sustained injuries and will need sometime to recuperate, we have had to chose a date in conjunction with the Federation of World Wrestling Professionals (WWP) Thunderstrike in South Africa and finally we have all agreed on the date on which the battle at Enyimba, the clash of the titans, would be held at the Enyimba Stadium, Aba.
“In consultation with His Excellency (Governor Theodore Orji), that date has been finalised and we are happy to announce that the Battle at Enyimba will be on the 11th of October, 2009, at the Enyimba Stadium in Aba, Abia State.” Orji told newsmen in Umuahia at the weekend.
He said the new date would give room for Ultimate Commander to undergo medical treatment as well as prepare adequate for the fight to be able to retain the African Heavyweight Championship crown he is currently holding.
“As you know, his title would be on the line on that day. He is going to defend his title and it is our hope, it is also our confidence that he is going to successfully defend his title on that date. And the title is the WWP African Heavyweight Wrestling Championship Belt and he is going to wrestle Joe Legend of Canada,” Orji added.
Other title fights which would feature Kilmanjaro and no fewer than 16 world class wrestlers would add glamour to the Enyimba “war.”
“Kilmanjaro will also be wrestling on that day. He will also be defending his own title on that day which is All Africa Championship. On that day, during the Battle at Enyimba, there will also be other fights featuring wrestlers under the WWP Thunder strike. There will be about 16 wrestlers coming from different parts of the world.
“WWP is the Number One wrestling federation in Africa and Number Three in the world. They have affiliations within the WWP even in the United States. They will be parading their wrestlers on that date and these wrestlers will be wrestling on that date,” Orji explained.
“We are looking forward to the battle at Enyimba. It is not just about the Ultimate Commander. This is about Abia State; this about Nigeria. If you watched the fight in the UK, the Nigerian flag was hoisted. This means that this man went to the United Kingdom as an ambassador of this country and we are very happy that he made us proud. So this event is one that everybody must contribute something from his position of strength and make sure it is a resounding success,” he appealed.
Also speaking, Ultimate Commander, said he has been bolstered by the support he has gotten from the government and the people to face the forthcoming challenge with determination and hope.
He confirmed that he sustained injuries in his last fight in Scotland which he said was healing fast. “The injury I sustained is gradually leaving because my body is not his home but then the pain is so much on me that I cannot continue this championship at this time. But still I have to do some physical examination by some doctors in America, after which I will still have about two, three weeks to train,” Offor said
“The Battle at Enyimba is going to be a memorable championship. It is going to be a fight that the whole world will stand up for Nigeria and it is going to be another fight that will convince everybody that has been having doubt about wrestling because what we are doing is re-branding wrestling. Those that are not strong enough, they should leave the ring. My kind of fighting is not the type people say has been arranged,” the Abia-born wrestler said.
The Nigeria Boxing Federation has set its sights on six gold medals at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow as the body looks to recover from the administrative turmoil that undermined its preparations for the Paris 2024 Olympics.
NBF Vice President Omonlei Imadu told our correspondent, “Our target is 10 medals, six gold, while others can come in silver and bronze colours. We are truly determined to make this a reality in Glasgow.
“We have moved focus now to the camping phase. Our aim is to ensure that the boxers are in perfect shape during and after the camping.”
Diaspora boxer Patricia Mbata, the African Games gold medallist based in the United Kingdom, was among the women’s finalists, while Kenneth Anigboro topped the men’s 90kg class. Other female finalists are Udoette Happiness and Gafar Fathia (51kg), Ajishola Kadijat and Gbadamosi Aishat (57kg), Sodipe Damilola and Ismail Abibat (65kg), Blessing Orakwe (70kg), and James Queen and Odoka Celestina (above 70kg). The male finalists are Ogunremi Michael and Habeeb Qazeem (55kg), Abdulwahab Abdulrahmon and Saliu Ridwan (65kg), Folly Hassan and Nwoha Precious (70kg), Daniel Joshua and Sharafadeen Fawas (80kg), and Anigboro Kenneth and Abiodun Adesoji (90kg).
National Sports Commission Director General Bukola Olopade, who attended Nigeria’s Commonwealth trials, also expressed optimism about Nigeria’s prospects.
“We are doing everything possible to ensure that Nigeria have a successful outing at the Games, and the prospects in boxing truly excite me,” he said.
Nigeria’s push for improvement comes after the backdrop of a difficult period for the sport at the last Olympics.
Boxers who competed at Paris 2024 also raised concerns about poor preparation, with Zainab Adeshina stating there was no adequate equipment for training and Ifeanyi Onyekwere describing the build-up as a one-week camp filled with stress.
Nigeria also suffered a 4-3 defeat to Ghana in a Commonwealth Games warm-up friendly in Accra recently, a result Imadu acknowledged as a reminder of the work still required, while noting that the federation was in advanced talks with two other nations over additional preparatory fixtures before the Games.
The 2026 Commonwealth Games will run from July 24 to August 1 at the SEC Centre in Glasgow, where boxing will feature across 14 events — seven men’s and seven women’s categories.
The NBF vice president also commended the board members for their commitment and altruism towards the welfare of the athletes.
“As a federation, we would like to appreciate these board members for their patriotism. This is an attestation of their dedication to the advancement of boxing in the country. As a body, we would continue to encourage the selflessness of our colleagues so we can collectively deliver on our mandate to revamp the squared ropes sports across the board,” he said.
The Yucateco boss further states the NBF’s readiness to deliver medals at the Games in Glasgow.
“Like I said previously, our focus has not shifted. We strongly believe that every boxer on the plane to Scotland must return with a medal for Nigeria, hence we took the lead as the only federation to call its athletes to camp ahead of time. 30 of our boxers have been in camp since April, and the federation has been solely responsible for their welfare since they commenced training,” Imadu added.
At the 2022 Birmingham Commonwealth Games, nine Nigerian fighters returned with four medals — one silver through Elizabeth Oshoba and bronzes for Cynthia Ogunsemilore, Jacinta Umunnakwe and Ifeanyi Onyekwere.
Remo Stars were relegated on Sunday after a 1-1 draw against Bendel Insurance F.C. in Benin City.
The Sky Blue Stars initially looked on course for survival when experienced striker Victor Mbaoma gave them the lead on the stroke of half-time, but the situation changed dramatically deep into stoppage time when Chijioke Akuneto equalised for Bendel Insurance to secure a 1-1 draw.
The delayed fixture between Kun Khalifat F.C. and Wikki Tourists F.C. later confirmed Remo’s fate, with the newcomers winning 3-1 to preserve their top-flight status and condemn Remo Stars to life in the second division.
In the wake of a season that saw them garner just 47 points from 38 games, only one year after winning the league title, the Sky Blue Stars described the outcome as heartbreaking.
“We understand the disappointment and frustration this season has brought. We did not deliver the performances or consistency required to maintain our place in the division. We take full responsibility for that failure.’’
“To our fans who filled the stands, supported the team online and stood by us even during our darkest moments, thank you. Your loyalty means everything, and we recognise that we owe you much more than what this season produced.
“Our focus now turns towards rebuilding with purpose and determination. Important decisions will be made, and every effort will be directed towards returning this club to where it belongs.”
They became the first defending NPFL champions to suffer relegation since Bayelsa United in the 2009/10 season.
They also became only the fourth reigning league champions to drop into the second tier during a title defence campaign after Stationery Stores in 1993 and Shooting Stars in 1999.
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