Boxing
Eworitse Ezra Arenyeka: Nigeria’s talented boxer building an inspiring career and giving back through philanthropy
The journey of Eworitse Ezra Arenyeka, may not be known to many, but his successful inroad into the world of professional boxing will always be an inspiration to many.
Ezra as he’s popularly refered to is a Nigerian born (Warri in Delta State) fighter who through hard work and luck made waves in the first year of his professional boxing career boxing with 10 wins (8 knock outs) and no losses in the last seven years.
Giving insight into how it all began. He said.
“I started boxing through the company called White collar fighter based in Manchester, raising money through my tickets sales for the Anthony Nolan blood cancer charity.”
During the early days of the pandemic, I ran 10 miles every day for 10 days for the St Martin homeless charity in Norwich. I raised a total of £1,000, which was donated directly to the charity.
Not only was I raising the money, I was also winning. Within two years of boxing, I had won the ABA’s Elite Cruiserweight Eastern Counties Championships. I boxed out of Attleborough Boxing Club.” He said.
According to Eworitse, he has used his success in boxing to also engage in philanthropy, and it’s no surprise that he created his own Foundation – The Ezra Arenyeka Foundation with a mission is to ‘Give Children Across Nigeria A Fighting Chance in Life’.
Hence, it is no surprise that he is passionate about creating opportunities for others.
Eworitse stated, “I want to use boxing as an opportunity to make a difference. As a professional, I aim to use my platform to help give the voiceless a voice. I aim to donate from my earnings from every fight to help children back home in Nigeria get a better education.
“Ever since I got into the boxing game, I have wanted to use my talent for good and to help the community.
“My foundation not too long ago donated funds to help 4 people in Warri with kidney dialysis treatments as kidney failure is a huge societal issue the foundation also aims to help alleviate.” He added.
Recounting, the talented pugilist now 27year old, explained that he left the shores of Nigeria at 14 to the United States in search of better education.
He lived and studied in Atlanta, Georgia for 3 years before moving to the UK at 17 and attending Newcastle University for a year soon after.
Eworitse also has a Post graduate degree from the University of East Anglia and is completing his PhD from the same university not too long from now.
Former world champion Deontay Wilder sent Derek Chisora into retirement by edging their engaging yet chaotic heavyweight fight in London, United Kingdom.
The boxers, aged 40 and 42 respectively, threw hopeful knockout punches and barely jabbed. Both slipped and fell to the canvas frequently during the bout at the O2 Arena on Saturday.
Wilder got the only knockdown in the eighth round, sending Chisora through the ropes, but the American was deducted a point in the same round for pushing. Chisora was rattled, but Wilder did not press his advantage.
Wilder dominated the early rounds, and Chisora rallied late. The judges were split in their scoring: Wilder received scores of 115-111 and 115-113, and the third picked Chisora by 115-112
Wilder said the fight was fun and suggested he didn’t want to knock out Chisora.
“Tonight, I looked out for him. I want him to live for his kids,” he told broadcaster DAZN. “It’s time for us to take care of each other.”
Chisora said in the build-up that the fight was to be his last, but the Londoner was reluctant to confirm it afterwards.
“I’m going to go home with the boss lady and see,” he told DAZN. “I’m going to go home and drop the kids, do the school run.”
It was the 50th fight for both in the professional ranks.
Wilder improved his record to 45-4-1. The WBC titleholder from 2015 to 2020 came to London having lost four of his last six fights.
Chisora’s record since 2007, when he turned pro a year before Wilder, dropped to 36-14. He lost his only two title shots against Vitali Klitschko in 2012 and Tyson Fury in 2022.
-The Associated Press
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Manny Pacquiao said he has signed a contract for a fight with Floyd Mayweather and that he would not get back into the ring with the American if it was an exhibition bout.
Mayweather, 49, and Pacquiao, 47 announced last month that they would meet at the Sphere in Las Vegas in September, with the bout streaming globally on Netflix.
However, Mayweather told Vegas Sports Today last week that it would be an exhibition bout, not a real fight, and that a venue had yet to be decided.
“If that’s what he is feeling but he signed for a real match. The contract that we signed is for a real fight,” Pacquiao told local media on Thursday. “He has to remember that.”
Mayweather, who holds a perfect 50-0 record with 27 knockouts, defeated Pacquiao in a 2015 encounter dubbed the “Fight of the Century”.
Jas Mathur, CEO of Manny Pacquiao Promotions and a producer for the event, said the agreement was for a fight.
“No one in these last three months has brought up anything related to the venue or related to the fight not being a professional fight,” Mathur told ESPN.
“His team has had all the contracts. He signed all the contracts.”
Reuters has requested comment from Mayweather’s camp.
The 2015 bout between the boxers generated a record 4.6 million pay-per-view buys and a $72 million live gate at the MGM Grand Garden Arena.
-Reuters
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The Nigerian boxing landscape has been thrown into uncertainty following reports that the Nigerian Boxing Federation (NBF) is considering steps to regulate professional boxing—an area traditionally overseen by the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC).
Reacting swiftly, the NBBofC has dismissed the reports as misleading, warning that any such move could destabilise the established structure of the sport in the country.
In a statement released on Wednesday, the Board reaffirmed its statutory authority as the sole body responsible for the regulation, control, and sanctioning of professional boxing in Nigeria.
“The attention of the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control has been drawn to insinuations that another body intends to assume regulatory authority over professional boxing in Nigeria. We wish to categorically state that such claims are unfounded and should be disregarded,” the statement read.
The Board stressed that the NBF’s mandate is confined strictly to amateur boxing, in line with global sports governance frameworks, and does not extend to the professional ranks.
NBBofC President, Rafiu Ladipo, warned that any attempt by another organisation to assume control of professional boxing could trigger administrative conflicts, weaken regulatory standards, and expose athletes to unnecessary risks.
The Board also cautioned promoters, managers, and boxers against engaging with unauthorised bodies claiming regulatory powers.
“We advise all promoters, managers, and boxers to remain vigilant and not be misled by such insinuations. The NBBofC remains fully committed to its responsibility of regulating and sanctioning professional boxing in Nigeria in accordance with established rules and international best practices,” the statement added.
Observers within the boxing community note that clarity in regulatory authority is critical—not only for safeguarding athletes but also for ensuring fair competition and maintaining Nigeria’s credibility within the global boxing ecosystem.
For now, the NBBofC has reiterated its resolve to continue overseeing professional boxing in the country, even as stakeholders await further clarification on the reported position of the NBF.
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