Joshua Okine gets shot at commonwealth title

FATAI Onikeke, Nigeria's Commonwealth Boxing Council (CBC) Welterweight champion is billed to defend his title on Friday. The fight, which is against Ghana's Joshua Okine, holds at the Azuma Nelson Sports Complex in Accra, Ghana.

Soloman Egberime and Ike Obi, both Nigerians are also contenders for the title.

Earlier, Nigeria's Peter Oboh, the CBC Light Heavyweight champion was given one last opportunity to defend his crown against a mandatory challenger.

The fight against Daniel Sackey of Ghana, it was noted, must take place before March 31st. Likewise, Light Welterweight champion, Junior Witter, has been granted an extension to defend against Ben Wonder Tackie of Australia, but the winner will defend the crown against Nigeria's Ajose Olusegun at the end of the month.

Also, two Ghanaian Commonwealth champions, Joseph Agbeko and Osmanu Yahaya, are to engage in a mandatory defence of their titles by the close of the month. They are the only Ghanaian boxers on the CBC latest rankings with titles.

The duo are holders of the CBC Bantamweight and Super Welterweight titles, according to the current ratings of the council, are expected to defend their titles by the close of March to avoid being stripped of their titles.

Meanwhile, two Nigerian boxers, Friday Ahunaya and Henry Akinwande, in the November ranking of the CBC, were the top contenders for the heavyweight belt while Nigerian/Canadian Kingsley Ikeke remains a top contender for the CBC Middleweight title.