By Ronnie Nathanielsz
Lanky Bart Abapo battles tough Nigerian Fatai Onikeke for the WBF Intercontinental junior welterweight title on February 16 at the Knox Netball Center in Melbourne in what promises to be an exciting bout.
Onekeke who is now based in Australia suffered a stunning seventh round TKO defeat at the hands of hard-hitting Filipino Ranee Ganoy last September 15 and is determined to avenge that loss against Abapo.
But the Filipino boxer who has trained hard for the opportunity provided by WBF president Mick Croucher who has kept his word and given Philippine fighters a break, is not awed by the fact that Onikeke was the former Commonwealth champion with a record of 18-2 with 15 knockouts.
Abapo, on the other hand, has a record of 17-7-3 with 12 knockouts but is coming off back-to-back losses. On June 15 he dropped a unanimous twelve round decision to Indonesia’s Daudi Bahari in a Pan Asia Boxing Association title fight and then on November 24 lost a close six round decision to Ryan Waters.
Abapo is among a number of fighters handled by Dido Bohol who migrated to Australia several years ago and whose fighters are trained by his sons Hermie and Jeffrey Bohol. Bohol said Abapo was ready and predicted a really good fight. Dido Bohol also has some Australian fighters in his stable.
