Boxing: Congolese Junior Makabu retains his title of WBC world champion
Congolese boxer Junior Makabu, in August 2019. Getty Images / Valery Sharifulin / TASS
Text by: Tom Rossi Follow
3 min
Junior Makabu defeated Nigerian Olanrewaju Durodola in the defense of his WBC light-heavyweight world champion title this Saturday, December 19 in Kinshasa.
The Congolese won by KO in the 7th round.
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After 11 months of waiting,
Junior Makabu was finally able to defend his title of WBC light heavyweight world champion
, this Saturday, December 19, in Kinshasa.
And he did it brilliantly.
The first Congolese boxing world champion in one of the four major federations (WBA, WBC, WBO, IBF), dominated the 40-year-old Nigerian Olanrewaju Durodola who remained on five consecutive victories, including two obtained this year by KO.
This time, it is he who could not finish the fight under the blows of Junior Makabu.
Junior Imperial Makabu
Despite the lack of popular support due to the covid-19 pandemic, Junior Makabu wanted to put on a show by entering the ring with a beast costume.
The feline first observed its prey before emerging, in front of a few dozen lucky spectators, including his brother
Martin Bakole, holder of the WBC International heavyweight belt since last week
.
After a first round of observation, the 33-year-old boxer lets go but falls on a tough opponent, who responds.
It is from the 6th round that the African champion and member of the top 5 in the WBC ranking falters, after a succession of uppercut.
The world champion defeats the experienced Nigerian in 42 professional fights (34 wins, including 31 by KO) during the next round.
Euphoric, Junior Makabu exults.
He kept his promise by making the Congolese people proud.
Conquering other belts
WBC world champion consolidated after this 28th victory in 30 fights, Junior Makabu will try to unify the belts in 2021 to "
bring them all back to the country
".
This is what he announced to
RFI
before this fight.
Kananga's
“
Leopard
” could quickly fight for the vacant WBO belt.
If he also wants to be crowned WBA world champion, he will have to dominate the French, still undefeated, Arsen Goulamirian.
The IBF title has been held by Latvian Mairis Briedis since September 26th.
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