24-year-old ‘Lagos Girl’, ELIZABETH OSHOBA makes history as First Female World Boxing Champion in a Round 10 bout
…emerges new WBC Women’s Silver Featherweight Winner, defeated Italy’s Michela Braga with a (6-0-1) victory in Copenhagen
*earlier won Silver in the featherweight division at the Commonwealth Games
*beat Martina Righi via unanimous decision in November to win the IBO female super-featherweight title
*“I am not surprised that Oshoba became a champion, she has always been one and I have always regarded her as a champion too. I was very happy when I saw that she claimed the WBC silver title. She is one of our best athletes in Nigeria and I wish her good luck for the future”-Azania Omo-Agege, Interim President of the Nigeria Boxing Federation
*”I feel on top of the world. I am very happy with this world title, but I am still focused and I can’t wait to fight more world title fights and claim the main WBC belt. I am proud of my heritage as a Nigerian”-OSHOBA
*BY MODUPE ABAYOMI/DEPUTY Sports EDITOR, Abuja
SHE’S A 24-YEAR-OLD ‘LAGOS GIRL’, from Nigeria, determined from her childhood through youthful age to pursue her athletic dream of becoming a world boxing champion for Africa’s most populous black nation in the world. Meet ELIZABETH OSHOBA, a resilient, highly focused and passionate Nigerian, newly crowned World Boxing Champion; thereby re-branding Nigeria positively in the eyes of the international community.
She has become the First Nigerian Female Boxer To Win World Title. This World Boxing Council silver featherweight queen of the ring, earned her name in the history books by becoming the first female Nigerian boxer to win a world title.
Oshoba won her first world title against Italy’s Michela Braga with a (6-0-1) victory in round 10 of their bout in Copenhagen on Saturday.
The victory confirmed the Nigerian as the WBC silver featherweight champion.
Oshoba has now extended her professional record to seven consecutive wins, and a fourth career knockout win, while inflicting Braga with her first-ever pro defeat.
She produced a stunning performance to floor Braga in round eight before dealing her a final knockout blow to seal an impressive win.
The 24-year-old is delighted to make history and has quickly set her sights on the main title.
Oshoba said, “Yes, of course, I feel on top of the world. I am very happy with this title, it is my first (world) title but I am still focused and I can’t wait to fight more world title fights and claim the main WBC belt. I am proud of my heritage as a Nigerian.”
Oshoba won the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medal in Birmingham.
Interim President of the Nigeria Boxing Federation, Azania Omo-Agege also showered encomiums on Oshoba for the historic victory.
Omo-Agege said, “I am not surprised that Oshoba became a champion, she has always been one and I have always regarded her as a champion too. I was very happy when I saw that she claimed the WBC silver title. She is one of our best athletes in Nigeria and I wish her good luck for the future.”
Oshoba has now won two titles in the last two months after beating Martina Righi via unanimous decision in November to win the IBO female super-featherweight title.
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