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Nigerian Nightmare Peter - 1st African (WBC) Heavyweight Champion

This Day
13 October 2007

President of Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBB of C), Chief Isaiah Ezeogu has expressed gratitude to President Umar Yar'Adua and all Nigerians for their support of Samuel 'The Nigerian Nightmare' Peters' victory over Jameel McCline. The Nigerian born pugilist won the World Boxing Council (WBC) heavyweight title defence bout in the ring at the Madison Square Garden, New York, USA by out-pointing the American boxer last Sunday.

Ezeogu, the Sports Writers Association of Nigeria (SWAN) 2006 Best Sports Administrator said that his board thanked the President and the entire Nigerians for rising up to give their support for Peter when he rewrote history as the first African to become a world boxing heavyweight champion.

"On behalf of the board of NBB of C, I thank Mr. President for his support for Peter. President Yar'Adua has shown that he is a sports loving leader who recognises success of his subject. We're indeed grateful to him and his Federal Executive Council (FEC) for looking forward to receiving Peter as soon as he comes to present his belt to Nigerians in the next few weeks.

"We also want to commend the support from the Chairman of National Sports Commission (NSC), Barrister Abdulra-haman Gimba, the Senate President, Senator David Mark, Speaker of the House of Representa-tives, Mrs. Patricia Etteh, the Acting Inspector General of Police, Mike Okiro, who sent a high-powered delegation, the Executive Governor of Akwa Ibom State, Akpabio, his Sports Commissioner and all Nigerians who stood by Peter.

He, however, called on Mr. President to use the victory of Peter as a pivot point in harnessing available resources of the state to support boxing, which according to him has the potential of not only launder the good image of the country, but give employment to millions of Nigeria. "I also want to call on Governor Akpabio of Akwa Ibom State not to forget his promise of giving Peter the opportunity of defending his title in Nigeria. The NBB of C will open our doors to a genuine relationship with the state in seeing that the dream of His Excellency on Peter come to reality," Ezeogu concluded.

Copyright © 2007 This Day

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