22.06.08 – By Mike “Cachibatches” Donohue: The image of a fringe contender making good on a career of missed chances, near misses, bad decisions and blunted opportunities with lots of hard work and one good fight against a great champion did not start with Rocky Balboa, or even Chuck Wepner, for those who are boxing wise. It was probably old when Queensbury rules were introduced. It is seminal, primordial, one of the fundamental reasons why we watch boxing. We love our underdogs.. Whatever our own chosen life’s work is, we do it better the day after watching one of these long shot contenders channel his countless hours running in the cold at five in the morning and banging on a heavy bag into a career defining fight, into gold, into immortality.
Enter Friday “The 13th” Ahunanya. This Nigerian born current NABF champ is a “Rocky” story waiting to happen. Though never really able to crack the upper eschelon of the division, Friday has given his fans a career of consistently threatening the best, and, after tonight’s victory over previously unbeaten Alonzo Butler, he stands on the threshold of greatness once again. In fact, undefeated has never been a good thing to be against Friday, as he has posted wins against previously unblemished Butler, Shane Cameron, Nate Jones, and Josue Blocus. With a great beard and good power to offer, our man Friday has also drew with Dominic Guin, given hell to Sultan Ibrigimov and Lance Whitaker, and put up respectable performances against future champion Sergie Lyakovich and amateur phenom turned pro Alexander Povetkin.
And yet, Friday has never had a title shot. He has watched as men of lesser accomplishment such as Peter Okhello and Ray Austin have received shots, sometimes specifically because they were of lesser accomplishment. If anyone deserves a lifetime achievement shot as a reward for all the great efforts, winning, losing and drawing, it is Friday Ahunanya. And if and when he receives it, win, loose or draw, you can bet the house that it is going to be exciting.
And fortunately, there is a champion out there with a built in story to help sell the fight: Ruslan Chagaev. For those who have stumbled onto this sight for the first time, unfamiliar with the East Side Boxing forums, Friday’s trainer is a regular and highly respected poster who goes by the handle of “Big Cat.” Cat tells a compelling story: A sparring session, a big right hand, the champion knocked down. Should Chagaev get by his mandatory in former champ Nikoli Valuev, the Friday optional defense would be a natural. Both are a smallish heavies with giant sized qualities, both have terrific chins, both have some power.
The primary difference between the two is that Ruslan has a pedigree a mile long, with two amateur championships, a professional belt, and a wins over Felix Savon. Friday earned his bones the hard way. In other words, this is the perfect “Rocky” story in the making.
Before being ordered to the mandatory, Chagaev battled British veteran Matt Skelton, and asked to fight the Kosovo-born German based Luan Krasiniqi, a one time challenger to Lamon Brewster who, lets be honest here, has seen better days. I am calling on all east Side Boxing fans to send a message to team Chagaev that we would much rather see a fight with East Side Boxing’s native son- Friday Ahunanya. Luan has had his shot, and, despite his appeal to the German crowd, now has no chance what-so-ever at winning a world championship. Chagaev is a tough customer- you do not get two amateur world championships a professional belt without being a tough customer. But there is another tough customer out there who dreams of turning those countless hours of sparring, including knocking down a certain champion, into his own heavyweight gold.
Let’s demand this fight!