July 12, (THEWILL) – As Nigeria’s star continues to rise in the boxing world with the challenge posed by the undefeated Efe Ajagba in the heavyweight division, another boxer from the motherland, Raphael Akpejiori, has signalled his intention to win heavyweight titles soonest.
Akpejiori was in his typical ruthless elements when he dispatched Steven Lyons with another knockout win added to his growing record. As unbeaten as Ajagba, Akpejiori has the distinctive strain of having won all 12 of his bouts by knock outs.
What is more, the profile that the 6′ 8″ tall Akpejiori boasts of includes the rarity in modern boxing where none of his 12 opponents have lasted longer than two rounds against him. It was a lesson use Lyons learnt the hard way on Saturday night in Miami with a first-round knockout.
The 30-year-old Nigerian pugilist, who holds tightly to Anthony Joshua’s boxing quote that he has committed to memory which reads: “The right hand can take you around the block, but a jab can take you around the world”, set his jab on Lyons and took the boxer out.
Now, Akpejiori wants to reach around the block for a title bout and a chance to prove that he has what it takes to be a heavyweight champion and wear the belts his hard work deserves. After previously offering to spar with Tyson Fury earlier this year ahead of the expected unification bout against Joshua, Akpejiori today considers himself a challenger
The Nigerian seeks a fight against WBC heavyweight champion Fury or Fury’s top contender Dillian Whyte. Although there is the legally enforced third bout between Fury and Wilder on the cards, but which scheduled date requires a rescheduling after Fury and some in his camp tested positive for COVID-19, Whyte will still be considered before Akpejiori.
That has not stopped the Nigerian, who is coached by Glen Johnson, the former world light-heavyweight champion, from calling out would-be challengers to let them know of his interest in taking them on as he unhesitatingly dropped names: “If I was going to name a dream fight for me in the next year, I would say Tyson Fury and Dillian Whyte.
“Those are two guys I know I can step in the ring with and beat both of them. But my goal is to have the heavyweight belts in my hand. Once I’ve accomplished that, everything else will fall in place.”
About his slick boxing that puts his fights to a quick end, the Nigerian was unabashed to couch his response in humour: “It’s pretty evident that when I touch people they kind of go to sleep. I’m not oblivious to that fact, but I’m not focused on that.”
About the Author
Jude Obafemi is a versatile senior Correspondent at THEWILL Newspapers, excelling in sourcing, researching, and delivering sports news stories for both print and digital publications.
