WBF president among boxing buffs to grace ‘Simplified Rumble in Rivers’

The World Boxing Federation (WBF) President, Howard Goldberg, are among top global boxing dignitaries that have confirmed their presence in Port Harcourt when Taiwo Agbaje battles with Loren Japhet of Tanzania for the vacant WBF featherweight title on December 7, at the Yakubu Gowon Stadium, in Port Harcourt.

Goldberg told the promoters in a video message that he was thrilled to be part of the massive event, describing the event as a very exciting news. He said: “We place great emphasis on the importance of this fight, and the magnitude of this fight.”

He disclosed that the “Simplified Rumble in Rivers for Champions,” forced him to shelve an earlier planned trip to be in Port Harcourt.
“I have canceled my trip to Las Vegas; I was supposed to go there on December 7, but I have chosen instead to come to Rivers State, to Port Harcourt where we have a world title event… I have also asked my top referee in the WBF from Europe to officiate as the referee,” he said .

The South African expressed his joy that boxing in Nigeria is progressing and hopes that the show produces another Nigerian world champion. “It’s an exciting news for Nigeria; it’s important to see that Nigerian boxing belongs at the top, and hopefully we would have a world champion after December 7.
“I have been to Nigeria a few times but never to Rivers State, so I look forward to meeting all of you and looking forward to a wonderful world title fight,” Goldberg enthused.

Apart from the WBF featherweight title fight, which is the main event, there are nine other bouts on the card, including the return of the undefeated former world heavyweight title contender, Ike “The President” Ibeabuchi after 20 years of incarceration in the USA.

Meanwhile, promoter, Emmanuel Emenogu of Zeus Sports and Entertainment, has explained that the change of venue from Alfred Diete Spiff Sports Centre to the bigger Yakubu Gowon Stadium in Elekahia, Port Harcourt is to accommodate the expected large turn out of fight fans.