Blockbuster lightweight clash looms as Joe Boy defends title against Rilwan

In boxing circles, one is the king; the other, a prince. With the recent successful defence of his African Boxing Union (ABU) lightweight title at Gotv Boxing Night 18, the prevalent view is that Oto “Joe Boy” Joseph is one that merits the kingship of the lightweight category.

It is, however, a view the fast-rising Rilwan “Real One” Oladosu, national and West African Boxing Union (WABU) champion, disagrees with. Vehemently. Thrice in the last one month, he has openly rejected the notion that Joe Boy is on a higher platform. The first open rebellion against the kingship was at the press conference announcing GOtv Boxing Night 18 at The Regent Suites, Ikeja in Lagos.

As Joe Boy was being asked about his expectations for his ABU title defence against Ghana’s Success “Brave Warrior” Tetteh, with cameras rolling, Real One leapt out of his seat like a dolphin, yelling at Joe Boy and announcing, with customary prize fighter’s rage, his intention to dethrone the ABU champion, who was yet to taste defeat in any of his 14 fights. With boxers not known for having the patience of a saint, Joe Boy responded in kind, yelling back and attempting to button up Real One’s lips with his fists, an action that compelled security personnel to pull them apart. Both remained implacable. Real One continued his rant, claiming that, as amateurs, he defeated Joe Boy for fun and he is confident of reprising that in the professional cadre, a claim denied by the ABU champion.

Then came 21 April, the date of GOtv Boxing Night 18 at the Indoor Sports Hall of the Obafemi Awolowo Stadium, Ibadan, where Joe Boy knocked out Tetteh in the first round to retain the ABU title. As the ring announcer was proclaiming him the winner by technical knockout, Real One leapt into the ring, eyes blazing, to throw another challenge. The capacity crowd roared in approval, an indication of the fact that many consider him capable of ending the champion’s reign.

The crowd’s reaction was not exactly new. In the last two years, both boxers have stood out and boxing fans have salivated over the prospect of them going up against each other in a fight considered Nigerian boxing’s equivalent of the El Clasico.  Real One’s sub-regional title puts him in line for a shot at the continental title. The possibility of a clash between them now looms very large. That, naturally, has provoked a debate about who is better equipped between the two. Ardent Joe Boy fans cannot see beyond anything other than victory for their idol, who has seen off both local and international opponents with his superb offensive-defensive balance.

His preference for functionality, a reliance on his devastating punching power, is deemed business-like but inelegant. That has not affected fans’ affection for him. The first round of the national lightweight title bout against the then champion, Nurudeen “Prince” Fatai, at GOtv Boxing Night 7 in 2016, was eminently uneventful. In the second, scenting blood, he charged like a bull. Fatai, who is of similar inclination, matched him until the fifth round, when Joe Boy’s raw power broke his resolve and was forced to throw in the towel.  He followed that up with two other brutal victories over the same opponent and famously dismissed, with uncharacteristic panache, Lukman Hogan Jimoh in 30-seconds. He later added the WABU, Commonwealth Africa and ABU titles. So far, he has had 15 fights (six TKOs).

While having not clocked as many ring miles as Joe Boy, Real One, with eight fights (all won), considered the man most capable of ending that winning streak.  A boxer of great elegance, marked by balletic movement, weaves, feints and bobs, he provides fans with enormous thrills and lot of despair for opponents. His elegance somehow promotes the view that he is more of style than substance. This view, however, ignores the fact that he possesses an impressive punching capability, appetite to use it in volume and with impeccable timing. Attack, for him, is defence; no sitting back to suddenly uncoil like a cobra. At 5’7, he has a reach advantage over Joe Boy, who stands at 5’4, and carries no less menace despite his flamboyance.

These attributes have won him the best boxer at GOtv Boxing Night on two occasions, but still trails Joe Boy, who has claimed the award three times. So, who has the edge? Neutrals think it’s a close call. The armies of supporters on either side, unsurprisingly, believe that the one they support has the edge. What, however, is not in contention is that bout is a potential blockbuster.

Anthony Nlebem