Boxing News of Friday, 12 October 2001

Source: .

Toney Vrs Sunny Tonight

TONIGHT, one of the nation's aspiring world title boxers, James Toney, will set the stage for his ambition, when he clashes with his Nigerian opponent, Sunny King, for the vacant African Boxing Union middleweight championship title.

The bout, which was initially scheduled for last week had to be shifted to today due to a church activity that took place at the Kaneshie Sports Complex, the venue for the programme.

The eagerly awaited bout is being put up by one of the nation's finest promoters, Prince and Baseline International Promotion Syndicate and will give Toney the glorious opportunity to assert his authority in his division.

Tonight's fight is no doubt a test one for a boxer, who after his Sydney fiasco has humbled all his opponents as well as silenced his critics who doubted his boxing prowess after the Olympics.

Toney, a 1998 Commonwealth bronze medallist has shown tremendous prospects to annex the ABU title and is ready to use the fight as a stepping stone to boxing fame.

There is no doubt that his colleague Joseph Agbeko's recent world title success has strongly motivated the gangling boxer to go into hiding apparently to intensify his training to emulate his example.

Toney, according to inside sources, has vowed never to leave anything to chance and will treat the Nigerian in the manner he dealt with his opponents.

The bout, which has been christened the 'Ogya night' will also have two national titles for grabs.

Ben Neequaye will challenge Joseph Sarkodie for the national lightweight championship title, while Ben Odamatten and Mouabi Armstrong will also flex muscles for the national featherweight championship title.

Other contestants have also lined up to compete in the catchweight, superwelterweight, welterweight and the international featherweight divisions to make the night lively.

The catchweight contest will bring Brimah Kamoko and Ibrahim Marshall together to challenge one another, while Ayittey Powers and George Amuzu will vie for supremacy in the superwelterweight division.

In the welterweight contest, Alfred Tettey will sort things out with Joe Coffie, while Osumanu Akaba battles Adamu Mohammed in the international featherweight contest.

Rates are: Ringside-?30,000, second ringside ?20,000 and popular stand - ?10,000.