Top boxing promoters in Nigeria have expressed keen interest in bringing the Tyron Zeuge versus Isaac Ekpo WBA super middleweight world championship to the West African country.
The WBA world championship committee only this week ordered that Zeuge (19-0-1, 11 KOs) of Germany mandatorily defend the title against the WBA number 3 rated Ekpo (31-2, 24 KOs) who previously lost a decision in Germany to Robert Stieglitz when he challenged for the WBO super middleweight belt back in 2013.
Zeuge won the title only last November 5 courtesy a knockout victory over Giovanni De Carolis and according to article 11 of the WBA regulations, the champion must defend not later than 120 days against his mandatory challenger so Zeuge’s mandatory defence is due by March 4.
Keen for Ekpo to not only win the world title but also make history in front of his own people, some boxing promoters in Nigeria have already declared intention to stage the fight in Lagos. Anthony Kermah, the Ghana based manager of Ekpo has welcomed the move even though Don Kings Promotions hold the promotional rights to the boxer.
“Don King has the promotional rights to Ekpo therefore interested Nigerian promoters would have to go through the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control (NBBoC) to put in a bid with the WBA championship committee to win the bid to stage the fight in Lagos as they want,” said Kermah who runs the Ghanaian syndicate, Landmark Promotions and Management.
The champion, 24 year old Tyron Zeuge is promoted by Sauerland Promotions of Germany who are also expected to put in a bid. The WBA has yet to confirm a date for the purse bid though.
