Undefeated Nigerian heavyweight boxer, Onoriode Ehwarieme (17-0, 16 KOs) believes he is ready to take on the big boys of world boxing and has specifically called out also unbeaten world champion, Anthony Joshua.
Onoriode who has declared is availability to fight WBC world champion, Deontay Wilder as well, says he was the man to send Joshua packing back to England back in the day when the British born fighter with Nigerian roots came down to the West African country in an attempt to represent them at the 2008 Olympic Games.
28 year old Joshua (21-0, 20 KOs) is the unified WBO, IBF and WBA champion after previously winning gold for Great Britain in the 2012 Olympic Games during his amateur days but according to Ehwarieme, Joshua whose parents are both of Nigerian descent had tried to compete for a place in Nigeria’s boxing team to the 2008 Olympic Games during a short stay in Ijebu Ode in Ogun State.
“I want to beat both Anthony Joshua and Deontay Wilder to take the titles from them, yes that’s my mission and I intend to execute it. I will knock them out one by one, I’m going to be the champion of the world,” Ehwarieme who now stays in the US told this writer via phone.
“I should have fought Anthony Joshua in the amateur qualifiers for 2008 when I heard he wanted to compete but he didn’t show up. I didn’t get the opportunity to knock him out as an amateur so I will knock him out as a professional. He will not last 8 rounds with me,” Ehwarieme alluded.
He continued: “Here in America, I have everything I want, motivation, training, everything is alright so I’m getting better. By March next year I hope to fight for the world title after two fights here in America. So in March next year, whether him (Joshua) or Wilder, I will knock him out. I am ready to beat somebody.”
He is yet to take his fight in the US of course but 30 year old Onoriode Ehwarieme is a well travelled man and has already fought on three continents after making his debut in Indonesia in 2010, proceeded to fight in Ghana and later his native Nigeria before embarking on a 5-fight stint in Argentina in 2016 and 2017. His last fight was back in Nigeria, a round 4 TKO victory over Kofi Johnson of Ghana at the Teslin Balogun Stadium in Lagos on 29 April.
Now that he’s in America, Ehwarieme insists the time is ripe for him to finally follow in the footsteps of his idol, Samuel ‘The Nigerian Nightmare’ Peter who won the WBC world heavyweight title in 2008 before losing it to Vitali Klitschko in his first defence. Peter also later lost to the other Klitschko brother, Wladimir in 2010 for all of the IBF, WBO and IBO heavyweight belts but Ehwarieme insists he will make amends soon.
“Samuel Peter is my motivation, he is the reason I’m in boxing. I was not happy when the Klitschkos defeated him to take his title away and I always targeted Klitschko before he retired. So if it’s Joshua and Wilder who now have the titles, I will take them down for Samuel Peter,” Onoriode Ehwarieme said.
“I’m assuring my fans in Nigeria and other countries that very soon I will bring them the world title, I will make them very proud,” he continued.
“They should expect the world title from me, I will win the world title and present it to the president of Nigeria and make my king Ehwarieme very happy,” Ehwarieme added.