Larry 'The Natural' Ekundayo wins African Boxing Union Welterweight Tittle

By Lashley Oladigbolu, London.

 ~ Larry  Ekundayo fought Joseph Lamptey to win ABU Welterweight in the 12 Rounds to hit world ranking.

Winner: Larry Ekundayo flagged by his children and team mates

Following frivolous and jaw-racking punches exchanged for full twelve rounds fight between the two Africans, Joseph Lamptey and Larry Ekundayo, the African Boxing Union Welterweight Championship tittle was claimed  by Larry 'The Natural' Ekundayo after the unanimous decision of Judges in the late last night in London (on Friday, 30th October 2015)

 Three judges scored the fight which lasted 105 minutes as 119/109, 119/110, 120/118  - Joseph Lamptey earned 337 points recorded by the three judges but was unable to match up 358 points scored by Larry Ekundayo in the bout witnessed by over a thousand spectators inside the Troxy Arena in east London.

                                                       

                                                        (Video Credit:  London Live TV)


 In a weigh-in on Thursday night, barely twenty four hours to the fight the Ghanian, Joseph Lamptey, described as a tough as-old-boots boxer meant to send his opponent to his heels by throwing away the Nigerian flag held by Larry. TheWeigh-in  that resulted in near fracas was not without hullabaloo that followed its video clips broadcast on TV,  as it went viral on the internet with the hashtag #flaggate. This thrilled the boxing lovers, including Larry's manager, Ben Gray to wonder how the fight would be fought back by Larry 'The Natural', whose country's flag was 'ridiculed' right in front of cameras of the global media.

Nigerian Watch, a soft sell news-magazine based in London described the scene as ''for the post weigh-in photo call,'The Natural' appeared with the Nigerian flag. This enraged Lamptey, who demanded to know where his flag was. He grabbed the Nigerian flag from Larry and flew it to the floor. For a tense few seconds it looked like the boxers might square up there and then not for the intervention of their managers.''

The Chief Executives of Hellraiser Boxing.Com  and Warrior Boxing Promotions Mr Mickey Helliet and Mo Prior respectively, who jointly organised the London's bout were happy to perceive the wild enthusiasms among the  London spectators who witnessed 'The Judgement Day' with different three long-stretched-out  fights on Friday night.

With Friday's win Larry Ekundayo has continued undefeated in all his eleven fights in this category so far.
Larry used to fight hard as a top class amateur then and presently he's pretty much in his best as a professional boxer, I'm happy he's more than prepared for World championship" said Ben Gray.

Larry Ekundayo, a Deptford London based  boxer has recently gone on the familiarization tour of Africa and particularly Nigeria, to woo support from African boxing lovers to his side, the move, according to Bimbo Roberts Folayan was to keep him focus on targeting succeses in his boxing career.

Fortunately for Ekundayo, his career that was taking a dip few seasons ago began to bounce back and Arik, a Nigerian airline  has been throwing corporate support to boost the promotion around the world-class boxer. The Ekundayo Team comprises the former President of Central Association of Nigerians in the United Kingdom, (CANUK) Bimbo Roberts Folayan, a London based  Business Developer of the World Class Athletes, Nick Abbott and the two times African Light welterweight title winner the Nigerian Olusegun Ajose, including well as  Larry's manager Ben Gray, have been working round the clock to ensure Larry, the new African Boxing Union tittle holder continued to make progress towards attaining African Boxing Union Tittle he claimed on Friday night after beating the Ghanaian, Joseph Lamptey.

Earlier this year, Larry claimed a career-best win when he knocked out Dale Evans who lost his grip and sat down in the rings in the fifth round.

Larry knocks out Dale

In October, Sam Eggington surpassed Evans in the bout that suggested him as the holder of British tittle. Joseph Lamptey as a distant challenger has earlier in May this year trade tackles with Sam Eggington.

Larry's accumulation of success in boxing career right from amateurship is impressive. According to the profile displayed in his website, ''Larry won Nigerian Bantam Weight champion in 1998, qualified for the All African games in 1999,  and was the Welterweight National Champion in 2000, won a gold medal in an international tournament in Germany in 2002 (at which he also won the best boxer of the tournament), quarter finalist in 2002 Commonwealth games, London ABA champion in 2006 and 2007.''
''As a professional he is the current Betfair Light Middle Prizefighter champion and undefeated in 6 pro fights with 2 stoppages to his name. Despite being a natural Welterweight he has fought all his pro fights so far at Light Middleweight as no one wants to fight him at his own weight.''

Larry 's latest victory elevates him to world ranking  and can challenge world championship tittle categories, including WBO.
Notable members of Nigerian community who came to throw their support to Ekundayo at the arena are Professor Chris O Imafidon, Mr Bimbo Roberts Folayan, Dr Godwin Kanu ( President, Nigerian Boxing Board Control), Mr Mike Abiola, DJ Abass among many others.

Click to watch (on Youtube) Larry Ekundayo vs Joseph Lamptey Weigh-in gone viral ahead of the fight .

   Lashley Oladigbolu, acting President of the Nigeria Union of Journalists Europe Chapter and Sports Presenter, writes from London.

Pictures credit: LarryTheNatural.com



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