ABAPO VIES FOR WBF TITLE TONIGHT

Lanky Bart Abapo was scheduled to battle former British Commonwealth champion Fatai Onikeke for the WBF light welterweight title at the Knox Netball Center in Melbourne, Australia tonight with high hopes of winning according to his manager Dido Bohol.

Trained by Bohol’s sons Jeffrey and Hermie Bohol, the 29 year old Abapo has a record of 17-7-3 with 12 knockouts but is expected to have a hard time against Onikeke who is from Nigeria but now fights out of Australia. Onikeke has a record of 18-2 with 15 knockouts.

Bart Abapo (left) poses with Howard Leigh during yesterday's weighin.

One of the 23 year old Onikek’s losses was at the hands of hard-hitting Filipino Ranee Ganoy who also belongs to Bohol’s stable. Ganoy who is one of the most popular Filipino fighters based in Australia because of his rugged, all-action style had Onikeke in trouble in both the 2nd and 7th rounds where he was given a standing eight-count by the referee after a furious exchange.

Abapo lost in his bid to win the Pan Asia Boxing Association title when he dropped a unanimous twelve round decision to Daudi Bahari of Indonesia in Singapore last June 15 and in his last fight lost a close decision to Ryan Waters in a six round bout last November 24.