Former heavyweight contender Ike Ibeabuchi marked his long-awaited return to the ring with victory over Idris Afini last Saturday at the Teslim Balogun Stadium Indoor Sports Hall, Lagos.
The fight ended when Afini failed to answer the bell to resume for the fourth round and consequently lost the bout via a TKO.
Ibeabuchi, who was stepping into the ring for the first time in 26 years, had promised to knock Afini out in the first or second round.
However, the bout stretched further than he anticipated, with Afini showing resilience before quitting on his stool.
Speaking after the fight, Ibeabuchi admitted he expected an earlier finish but credited Afini for his movement and survival tactics.
“Yes, I know I was catching him with good punches, breaking him down with body shots, and sooner or later I believed he was going to wear down,” Ibeabuchi said.
“I thought he was about to quit in round two, but he kept moving around instead of standing to fight.”
The undefeated fighter, now 21-0, said he had prepared for a toe-to-toe clash but was surprised by Afini’s strategy.
“I didn’t see him as a boxer. I saw him as a puncher, someone who comes forward aggressively. But when he started moving around, I realized I had a tougher job,” he explained.
Looking ahead, Ibeabuchi wasted no time in calling out unified heavyweight champion Oleksandr Usyk.
“I want to fight Usyk. Why can’t he fight me? I’m already in the top 10 before them. I will fight more. I love to fight, but I want him before time runs out,” he declared.
The Nigerian heavyweight concluded by thanking the media and congratulating Afini for a tough contest, while reiterating his ambition to test himself against the very best.
