Reigning national lightweight boxing champion, Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai, and challenger, Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph, on Saturday, gave fans a foretaste of their impending clash when they engaged each other in verbal warfare while featuring on a radio programme.
The incident occurred at the studios of Eko FM, where they were guests on the sports programme, Arena Sports, ahead of their May 1 clash at GOtv Boxing Night 7 holding at the Indoor Sports of National Stadium, Lagos.
Signs of tension began manifesting when the two arrived the station, with Nurudeen ignoring greetings from the challenger.
Feeling snubbed, Joe Boy, who knocked out Nurudeen in a challenge contest at GOtv Boxing Night 4, seethed.
It took no time for the bottled up anger to burn within inches of explosion. The trigger was a question to Nurudeen on what the fans should expect.
The diminutive boxer, still pained by his defeat which he attributed to a hand injury, exploded in fury: “He won because I was injured. I am fit now and will show him,” he ranted.
Joe Boy interjected with his own fighting talk, branding his opponent a sore loser and an expired champion.
“He will be beaten again, this time in second round. He is expired. His reign has ended,” he said, infuriating Nurudeen who leapt at him.
Joe Boy returned the hostility, hands rolling into fists, as both swapped threats before they were pulled apart by the presenter and their chaperon.
Flykite Promotions, organisers of the event, had previously dubbed the fight “El Classico” of boxing.
Other fights scheduled are the cruiserweight challenge duel between Idowu “Noble” Okusote and Chibuzor “Chibunky” Vincent; lightweight challenge bout between Rilwan “Real One” Oladosu and Osamudiamen “Shiso” Goodluck, a graduate of the GOtv Boxing NextGen Search; middleweight clash of two other graduates of the search, Chukwuebuka “Wise King” Ezewudo and Ganiyu “Energy” Kolawole; light welterweight bout between Rilwan “Baby Face” Babatunde and the heavyweight duel between Ebenezer “Anambra Tiger” Okoli and Godwin “Emirate” Michael.
The best boxer at the event will go home with N1million cash prize and the Mojisola Ogunsanya Memorial Trophy.
