The late Akeem ‘Dodo’ Sadiku (second left) at his last fight against Côte d’Ivoire’s George Amuzu in a continental boxing challenge held at Ilaji Resort…last year
Afrique Boxing Promotion (COABOX) yesterday announced the death of one its promising boxers, Akeem Sadiku, popularly known as ‘Dodo’. He passed away yesterday morning at the University College Hospital (UCH), Ibadan, at the age 37.
The boxer, according to CEO of COABOX, Olusola Ayodele, had a successful surgery on Friday and was returned to the Intensive Care Unit of UCH where he was recuperating, only to develop complications over night and gave up the ghost the following morning.
Sadiku, who defeated Côte d’Ivoire’s George Amuzu on knockout in a continental boxing bout held at Ilaji Resort in Oyo State on December 27, had a good professional boxing record consisting of 11 total fights, with nine wins (seven by knockout), a loss and a draw.
Mourning the super welterweight fighter, the President Nigeria Boxing Board of Control, NBB of C Dr. Rafiu Ladipo, described his death as a very sad one to the Nigerian boxing family, saying Dodo is one of the best fighters Nigeria had in the professional cadre.
“We have lost one of our finest boxers, I can remember how he won his last fight by knockout on December 27 at Ilaji Resort, and never look sick. I pray God to grant him eternal rest. NBB of C will have a meeting tomorrow from where we will know what to do to support his family”, Ladipo noted.
Also mourning the late boxer was the Secretary General of NBB of C, Remi Aboderin, who was in shock getting to hear the sad news. He described the incident as a tragic one to the entire boxing fraternity in Nigeria, saying, “the guy was very vibrant last December when he fought against his opponent”.
He however prayed God to give his immediate family, which comprises a wife and three children the fortitude to bear the loss. “We’re trusting God will be with the family he left, as we don’t pray for our boxers to leave untimely like this again”.
The Chairman of Oyo chapter of NBB of C, Hon. Opaleye Gbenga when contacted was short of words, but said: “I am struggling to take his corpse from UCH for burial today according to Islamic rite. We did everything humanly possible to save his life immediately he developed the complications and was taken to the UCH but we lost him this morning eventually”.