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Tag: Durodola

  • Buhari’s honour, my proudest moment, says Durodola

    Buhari’s honour, my proudest moment, says Durodola

    World Boxing Council Silver cruiserweight champion, Olanrewaju Durodola was honoured by President Mohammadu Buhari last Thursday with N1.5 million cash reward for his success in the ring. He was also promoted to the  rank of Assistant Superintendent of Police(ASP) by the Inspector-General of Police (IGP), Solomon Arase.

    Durodola got his due recognition at a function held in the State House for distinguished  sportsmen that were honored by President Buhari and Minister of Youth and Sports, Solomon Dalung at The Presidential Sports Reception.

    Durodola said: “I was very surprised when my coach, Femi Babafemi told me I was to going to be honoured by the president in Abuja. I am very happy and this is my proudest moment so far. I am also very pleased that boxing has started to gain recognition from the government.”

    ”It is a good time to be recognised by the president ahead of a possible world title fight against Grigory Drozd later in the year and it gives me an incentive to go on and achieve even more in my career in the future.”

    The 35-year-old also expressed his surprise at being promoted by the IGP and thanked the police force for supporting him throughout his professional career.

    “I was also not expecting  another promotion from the Inspector-General. I would like to extend my appreciation to the I-G and the entire police force. Without support from the police, I do not know how my career would have panned out.

    “When my amateur career was over, I was employed by the police force and it was through their boxing platform I was able to fight Jamal Woods in Bartle Hall, Kansas City, Missouri, USA for my debut in 2011.”

    Durodola, nicknamed God’s Power, made his professional debut in 2011 and also holds the WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight , World Boxing Council-African Boxing Union (WBC-ABU) cruiserweight title and  is currently ranked second in the WBC world rankings with a professional record of 22 wins (20 K0s) and two losses

    Durodola made light work in his recent title fight, defeating crowd favourite Dmitry Kudryashov with a second round TKO in Kazan, Russia to win the vacant WBC Silver cruiserweight title.

  • Durodola eyes WBC World Cruiserweight title

    Durodola eyes WBC World Cruiserweight title

     

    Nigerian boxer Olanrewaju “Gods Power” Durodola is determined to clinch the WBC Cruiserweight title later in the year and show to the world the giant steps boxing has grown in the country.

    Speaking to SportingLife, Olanrewaju said he is aware that Nigerians are anxiously waiting for a world title in boxing since Samuel Peters last won one in 2008 in the heavyweight division.

    He said: “I know boxing fans in Nigeria are anxious because none of our professional boxers yet to win a world boxing title in any weight class since Samuel Peters won the heavyweight title in March, 2008, and this spurns me on to be the best in my weight class.

    “This is my target for the year and I know I am going to deliver to the nation the cruiserweight title. I will win the world title for Nigerians.”

    Durodola, 35 who last November, shocked the boxing world by defeating  crowd favorite Dmitry Kudryashov with a second round TKO in Kazan,  Russia to win the vacant WBC Silver cruiserweight title and become the number one contender for a showdown with world Cruiserweight champion Grigory Drozd.

    “I’ve waited a long time for a chance like this and I believe I will shock the world as I did to the Russians by beating Kudryashov, who was regarded as one of the best in world until he met God’s Power,” he said.

    The Inspector with the Nigerian Police Force was recently cleared of any wrongdoing by the World Anti-Doping Administration (WADA) after independent testings. He was accused by the Russian Anti-Doping Administration’s (RUSADA) of failing drug but believes that his exoneration will only spurn him to the top in boxing.

    “The accusations by the Russians did not hurt me one bit. They underestimated the boxers that represented Nigeria in Russia that night and felt the only way I would have defeated their golden boy was by cheating.

    “I was confident that the world anti-doping body will find me innocent because I have always been a clean fighter and I am representing Nigeria and the Nigerian Police at the world stage.

    “Boxing in Nigeria, amateur and professional, has made giant strides these last few years and I want to contribute my own quota to the success of boxing.

    “I would not want to disgrace myself, the police and the country as a whole by doping after overcoming all the obstacles thrown my way in my journey to the top,” he concluded.

    Olarenwaju, who also holds the WBC Continental Americas cruiserweight and World Boxing Council-African Boxing Union (WBC-ABU) cruiserweight title is currently ranked second in the WBC world rankings with a professional record of 22 wins, 20 K0s and two losses.

  • WBC Silver cruiserweight title: Kudryashov challenges Durodola

    WBC Silver cruiserweight title: Kudryashov challenges Durodola

    Nigeria’s Olanrewaju Durodola will take on Russian, Dmitry Kudryashov for the vacant World Boxing Council Silver cruiserweight title at the Basket-Hall Kazan, Tatarstan, Russia on November 4. The winner of the fight, a WBC title eliminator, has a guaranteed title challenge against Grigory Drozd and a chance to earn a big payout.

    Kudryashov, a 29-year-old from Volgodonsk, has 18 wins-no losses (six knockouts) professional record and comes to the ring as WBA International cruiserweight  champion which he won in spectacular style defeating his challenger, Juan Carlos Gomez in the first round last November.

    Durodola, 34, is the WBC Continental Americas Cruiserweight champion and has an equally impressive record with 21 wins, two losses (18 knockouts).

    Durodola, who successfully defended his title by a first round knock out against Argentine, Walter David Cabral in July, has been training hard for the fight and in a bid to achieve this dream has recently relocated from his base in Atlanta, USA to Nigeria and has engaged the services of Commonwealth medalists , Efe Ajagba and Efe Apochi as sparring partners.

    Durodola told SportingLife at his training camp at The Boxing Gym, Surulere “Preparations for the Kazan fight is going according to plan. As you can see I have Apochi and Ajagba here sparring with me and helping keep me in top shape. My coach, Femi Babafemi could not have chosen a better team for me to train with. Both athletes are young, very strong and hungry to make it and that is why they push me beyond my limits.

    “I know fighting Kudryashov will be tougher than fighting Cabral or Kwesi Ankrah, who I knocked out in 40 seconds in my last fight because Russian boxers are resilient than anybody else in the game. Boxing is part of their culture and boxers are seen as demi gods. But I am confident with the comprehensive training I am having I will be the boxer to face Drozd next year,”he said.

  • Durodola gets new opponent after opponent withdraws

    Olanrewaju Durodola will face Paakwesi “The Volcano” Ankrah of Ghana after Atoli Moore pulled out of the vacant World Boxing Council-African Boxing Union (WBC-ABU) light heavyweight title fight citing a recurring injury. The Ghanaian aggravated a back injury whilst training for the fight to be held at the Elysium Club, Piccadilly Suites Hotel in Agungi-Lekki, Lagos on August 23.

    Olanrewaju, a former Nigerian Olympic boxer in the amateur level, and currently serving in the Nigerian Police Force has an impressive record of 20 wins, 2 losses (18 knockouts) and defeated the Argentine, Walter Cabral in the first round to retain his WBC Continental American title in Brazil last month. His opponent’s professional record stands as 8 wins-4 losses (6 knockouts) according BoxRec, a website dedicated to holding updated records of professional boxers.

    Other fights billed for the night will see Nigerias’ Jude Ilo defend his West Africa Boxing Union Light heavyweight title against Ghanaian boxer Tricky Commey. Former Commonwealth boxing and World Boxing Organisation (WBO) super middleweight champion Isaac “Grenade” Ekpo square against Ismael Tetteh of Ghana in an 8 round super middleweight affair. Aryee Ayitey will try former Nigerian Light Middleweight champion Wahab Adebisi. The lightweight class will see new kid on the block. Otto Joseph who recently turned pro after a scintillating amateur career take on Ola Adebakin in the only all Nigerian bout of the night.

    Meanwhile, the CEO of Freels and Threels promotions, promoters of the fight night, Remi Aboderin has assured boxing fans to expect fireworks as all the boxers on the menu are in full swing with preparations and should come out to support first class professional boxing.

    “We as promoters are committed towards ensuring the fans are well entertained. Our boxers are ready and will give the fans good value for their money. We therefore appeal to boxing aficionados to come out in numbers and enjoy top class boxing.”

    The president of African Boxing Union and Vice president World Boxing Council, Houcine Houchini and legendary boxing promoter, Roland Jankelson are expected to grace the occasion. TV Continental and Larry Izamoje’s Brilla Sports Exposure have been named media partners. Ma Kitchen, Superior Bet, and Sublime Solutions have also come on board to support Durodola’s first fight as a professional boxer in Nigeria.

  • Durodola targets African title to boost ranking

    Durodola targets African title to boost ranking

    Olanrewaju Durodola successfully defended his World Boxing Council Continental Americas Cruiser Weight title by knocking out Argentine Walter Cabral in the first round of their scheduled 10 rounds boxing duel in Sao Paulo, Brazil.

    The 2008 Beijing Olympian, who is also an officer in the Nigerian Police Force, travelled with his coach, Babafemi Adefemi and manager Roland Jankelson for the fight, took just 2 minutes 41 seconds to knockout Cabral.

    With this victory Olanrewaju’s record stands at 20 wins (18 KOs) and two losses and the victory has cemented his 6th place ranking in the World Boxing Council Cruiserweight category, edging him closer to a title fight against the world champion Grigory Drozd.

    Olanrewaju is billed to fight for the WBC African Cruiserweight title against Ghanaian Braimah Kamoko on August 23 in Lagos. The title fight is to be promoted by Remi Aboderin of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control and Brila Sports Exposures, the boxing promotional outfit of Brila Sports Radio.