Nigeria: WBF President to Visit Port Harcourt for World Title Fight

11 November 2024
This Day (Lagos)

The President of the World Boxing Federation (WBF), Howard Goldberg, has confirmed that he will be present when Taiwo Agbaje takes on Loren Japhet of Tanzania for the vacant WBF Featherweight world title on 7 December 7, 2024 at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Port Harcourt.

In a video message to the promoter, Goldberg, said he was thrilled that such a massive event is billed for Port Harcourt.

"Very exciting news that we have a world title fight coming up in Port Harcourt, Rivers State in Nigeria on the 7th of December and we place great emphasis on the importance of this fight, the magnitude of this fight," observed the WBF chief.

The President of one of the top 10 boxing sanctioning bodies in the world went on to disclose the importance of the upcoming show tagged 'Simplified Rumble in Rivers for Champions' when he shelved earlier planned trip elsewhere to be in Port Harcourt.

"I have canceled my trip to Las Vegas, I was supposed to go there on the 7th of December but I have chosen instead to come to Rivers State to Port Harcourt where we have a world title event. I have also asked my top referee in the WBF from Europe to officiate as the referee."

The South African expressed his joy that boxing in Nigeria is progressing and hopes that the show produces another Nigerian world champion.

"It's an exciting news for Nigeria, it's important to see that Nigerian boxing belongs at the top and hopefully we would have a world champion after the 7th of December."

"I have been to Nigeria a few times but never to Rivers State so I look forward to meeting all of you and looking forward to a wonderful world title fight," Goldberg enthused.

Apart from the WBF Featherweight world title fight being the main event, there will be nine other bouts on the card including the return of the undefeated former world heavyweight title contender, Ike 'the President' Ibeabuchi after 20 years of incarceration in the USA.

Meanwhile, promoters the fight, Emmanuel Emenogu of Zeus Sports and Entertainment, has hinted of the change of venue from Alfred Diete Spiff Sports Centre to the bigger Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Elekahia Port Harcourt so as to accommodate the expected large turn out of fight fans.

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