The actors are in town and talking tough. Wednesday, Nigeria’s Ridwan ‘Scorpion’ Oyekola and his opponent in the WBF Super Featherweight battle in Ibadan on Sunday, Lucas Matias Montesino, were in Lagos to meet the press and talk of their readiness to do battle for the coveted crown. They thrilled the journalists with their boasts, while given an insight into what awaits boxing fans on Sunday.
Scorpion, who does not believe that anybody can come to Ibadan to defeat him in a boxing bout, promised Nigerians that Sunday would be the beginning of the country’s march to greatness in a sport that has produced so many world champions for the country.
“I have worked hard for this time and nobody is going to take my glory from me. So many people have invested in bringing me to this stage and I am not ready to disappoint them.
“This man from Argentina is no match for me. I want all my fans to come and see me sting him out of the ring,” he boasted.
To Montesino, who said Scorpion would eat his words at the Ilaji Hotel and Sports Resort, winning the title is a big motivation to beat up his Nigerian opponent.
“There is always extra motivation when fighting for important things. Since I found out I will be fighting for the title, I have been very motivated and doing double the work to get there better than ever. It only remains to wait for the date and time to get into the ring.”
Accompanied by his father and coach, Raul Montesino, the Argentine, who said he hasn’t been in a professional fight for a year, added: “I have a good feeling and really want to travel and fight more than anything.”
Meanwhile, the president of NBB of C, Rafiu Ladipo, has commended both the sponsor and promoter of the fight for bringing the great fight to Nigeria, 57 years after Dick Tiger defeated an American at Liberty Stadium, Ibadan.
He picked out the owner of Ilaji Farms and Tourism Resort, Dotun Sanusi, for praise, saying he paid all the money for the fight to hold in Nigeria, including a flight ticket for the Argentine, sanction fees, among others.
“With the coming of Ilaji Farms hospitality and tourism into our boxing, I can assure you that the good days of boxing is back in Nigeria,” Ladipo stated.
Also speaking at the media meet, fight promoter, Shola Ayodele, hinted that no less than six international boxing events would hold in Ibadan in 2021.
