Nigeria’s pro boxing scene is gearing up for a major step-up fight after reigning Nigerian and West African light heavyweight champion Lekan “The Engine” Muibi issued a formal challenge to newly crowned WBO Africa cruiserweight titleholder Godday “Zodsolo” Appah.
Key takeaways
- Muibi has challenged Appah to fight for a two-division championship opportunity.
- Muibi enters the proposed bout unbeaten professionally, with 20 wins and 19 knockouts.
- Appah captured the WBO Africa cruiserweight belt on May 1 in Lagos by defeating Ezra “The King” Arenyeka.
- Muibi said he has “cleaned out” the light heavyweight division and wants to move up despite a narrow weight gap.
- Muibi’s trainer, Monsuru Kilani, backed the challenge with a confident claim that his camp will dethrone the new champion.
Muibi calls out Appah after cruiserweight title win
Muibi, whose professional record stands at 20-0 with 19 knockouts, announced his intention to move up in weight and pursue a second title at cruiserweight. The challenge sets up a dual-division showdown for a Nigerian star looking to extend his dominance beyond the light heavyweight ranks.
Appah won the vacant WBO Africa cruiserweight title on May 1 at the Balmoral Hall, Federal Palace Hotel in Lagos. He overcame countryman Ezra “The King” Arenyeka via a 10-round majority decision, a result that took Appah’s pro record to 15-2-0 with 13 knockouts.
Muibi claimed Appah had already started pre-fight trash talk on social media before moving ahead to secure the title fight, rather than confronting Muibi directly. In Muibi’s view, Appah sidestepped him and instead went after the belt against Arenyeka.
Weight jump, confidence from the camp
Muibi said the move to cruiserweight is straightforward, arguing that it is only a small difference in weight. He also referenced earlier events, stating that Appah had called him out on Instagram earlier in the year, but that when Muibi’s management tried to arrange the fight, Appah did not follow through.
“I want to move up to cruiserweight,” Muibi said. “I’ve cleaned out my division. All possible challengers here in Nigeria and West Africa are too scared to face me, so I’ve run out of opponents.”
He added: “It’s just a five-kilogram difference—an easy jump to make. Earlier this year, Appah called me out on Instagram, saying all kinds of stuff. But when my management tried to make the fight, he ducked and ran. He took the easier option of fighting Ezra Arenyeka for the WBO Africa cruiserweight belt. Congratulations to him on the win, but now I’m coming for him. If he has the balls, he should stop running and face me in the ring. I will break him down, take his title, and become a two-division champion.”
Muibi’s trainer, Monsuru Kilani—popularly known as Coach Confidence—echoed the same level of belief, insisting the camp is ready to challenge for the belt and remove Appah as champion.
“We will beat Zod; I am 100 percent sure of it,” Kilani said. “Lekan is no ordinary fighter. He’s too strong, too talented, too ferocious, and too relentless. If Zod has the courage to accept the challenge, I promise he will face the biggest test of his career. We will stop him and take his belt. It’s not a promise; it’s a guarantee.”
Fight chatter grows as Lagos boxing regains momentum
The challenge arrives during a renewed period for professional boxing in Lagos, with stronger attendance and an increasing number of headline local matchups drawing attention across the sporting community.
On Sunday, April 26, the National Stadium in Surulere saw a packed atmosphere at Brai Ayanote Boxing Hall for a highly anticipated Lagos derby. In that outing, Taiwo “Esepo” Agbaje captured the vacant WBA Africa lightweight title by beating previously unbeaten promotional rival Tosin “Sojar Boy” Osaigbovo. Agbaje won by a 10-round unanimous decision.
With local matchmaking gaining momentum, attention is now set on whether Appah’s camp will formally respond to Muibi’s cross-divisional challenge and confirm the next steps toward a title fight.
