Egbunine Will Knock Out O’Neil

As Nigerian female boxer, Ijeoma Egbunine gets set to fight Gwendolyn O’Neil in Atlanta, Georgia, USA in a bout dubbed “Clash of the Champions,” former Heavyweight boxer turned coach, Oluwafemi Sholanke predicted a tough bout. But, he is upbeat that the Egbunine would come out victorious. He spoke with ADEBOBOLA ALAWODE

How much do you know about Ijeoma Egbunine, the Nigerian female professional boxer based in USA?

I really don’t know much about her, except from what I read on the internet. The last time you wrote about her, that she was coming to fight in Nigeria, and the fight did not see the light of day. Though, I heard the fight couldn’t hold due to logistics.

She would confront Gwendolyn O’Neil tomorrow, what are you expecting?

As a patriotic Nigerian, I would always want Egbunine to win but I also don’t know the strength and weakness of her opponent. Other things being equal, I will really want Egbunine to come out victorious.

Why do you want her to come victorious?

I want her to win because her victory will pave the way for other Nigerian boxers, both male and female. If she loses, people would look down on her and other boxers of Nigerian origin. In all sincerity, I don’t know how prepared she and her coaches are for tomorrow’s clash but my mind strongly tells me that Egbunine would win tomorrow’s fight.

What gives you the hope that O’Neil would not shock her?

I know Nigerian boxers for who they are. They are always resilient. They don’t give up easily and I don’t see her giving up easily. I also know that she is hungry for glory because after several postponements of her bouts, she would want to prove a point. For her to prove the point she has to win, and win she must.

Don’t you think fighting in a foreign land may work against her?

I don’t want to agree with you. No matter where the fight is taking place, boxing is a give and take sport, if she can gather herself together, I don’t see her losing the bout.

What do you think she must do to win the fight?

She should go for a knock out. As a black girl, she has the strength to go far in the bout, but I would advise her to go for the kill in the first three rounds of the fight as it would help her unsettle O’Neil.

Your last shot?

I want Egbunine to do all within her reach to make sure that Nigeria’s flag is hoisted and her anthem sang before the bout tomorrow.