Former World Boxing Federation (WBF) Cruiserweight Champion, Bashiru Lawrence Ali, popularly known as Bash Ali, yesterday, lamented that corrupt government officials have frustrated his bid for a Guinness World Record Boxing Championship fight, which has been in the works for nearly two decades.
 
The legendary boxer lamented that despite several high-level meetings with successive presidents and letters of support from both the executive and legislative arms of government, the fight continues to face setbacks.
 
Speaking in Abuja, yesterday, Ali expressed deep disappointment that after almost 19 years of pushing for the event, and despite multiple engagements with past and current administrations, the fight remains stalled due to entrenched corruption within Nigeria’s sports sector.
 
According to him, the Federal Government had inaugurated the Bash Ali Boxing Project Local Organising Committee (LOC) three times, in 2006, 2014, and 2019, but the implementation has consistently been derailed by “corruption and bureaucracy.”
 
He said: “All Guinness World Record Boxing Championship fights have been held in the United States of America, so mine would be the first outside and the most lucrative in the history of Pay Per View Television Revenue, sales of souvenirs, sponsorship, advertisement, etc.
 
“One hundred and thirty-two countries are coming to Nigeria to be part of boxing history and the Federal Government has written to the world boxing body to guarantee the safety of their members, telling the Ministry of Youth & Sports, now the National Sports Commission (NSC), to follow up to ensure timely payment of their approval fee, which is domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria by the private sector.”
 
Ali also alleged that the Federal Government had collected an advance of $12 million and extorted millions of naira from him under the guise of promotional activities, yet nothing concrete has materialized.  He accused former sports ministers, Sunday Dare and John Enoh, among others, of stalling progress and demanded that they be held accountable.
 
In an appeal to President Tinubu, Ali called for the immediate re-inauguration of the local organising committee, in line with the Renewed Hope Agenda, to clear all hurdles created by corrupt officials.
 
Ali also demanded a full investigation into alleged extortion to refund the funds allegedly taken from him under pretenses.
  
“My President sir, I still refuse to give up on my country, Nigeria. I want to fight in my country, Nigeria, so help me, please,” he pleaded.