Nigerian Boxer Wins Fight In 20 Seconds [PHOTO]

Nigerian-British boxer and Rio 2016 Olympian Lawrence Okolie took just 20 seconds to score a knockout win on his professional debut.

The 24-year-old compatriot Geoffrey Cave with two solid right hands at the bout held at Manchester Arena.

“Sorry to everyone that missed me fighting,” Okolie tweeted.

“The good news is a Won by KO in 20 seconds!! Bad news is I’m back in the cage for now.”

London-based Cave, 33, has now lost all three of his professional fights.

Okolie competed at heavyweight and lost to Cuban Erislandy Savon at the last-16 stage at the Rio Olympics.

He had boxed Savon once before and lost via a first-round stoppage, but at the second attempt he went the three-round distance with the Cuban who would eventually claim a bronze medal.

Savon had lost to Nigerian born Anthony Joshua at the London 2012 which also inspired Okolie.

Okolie had explained that the likes of Joshua lured him into boxing.

“Before I started boxing properly I was working in McDonald’s, and I was watching the Olympics during my breaks whenever I could,” he told Sky Sports News HQ.

“It was the only thing to do! There was a particular break where Usain Bolt won the 100m then Anthony Joshua won gold. I felt something then.

“It was really inspirational. I started putting more work into training, and believing it more.”

Okolie is scheduled to fight on the undercard of Ricky Burns’ super-lightweight unification bout with Julius Indongo on April 15.

The Nigerian Mission in South Africa says it is on top of the latest xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in Polokwane, Limpopo Province. Xenophobia: Nigerian Mission on top of situation, says High Commissioner Nigerian Mission in South Africa says it is on top of the latest xenophobic attacks on Nigerians in Polokwane, Limpopo Province. Amb. Martin Cobham, Nigerian High Commissioner in South Africa, told the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) on telephone from Pretoria that the mission had visited the affected area and met with all stakeholders. Cobham said a senior staff of the high commission travelled to Polokwane with national officers of the Nigeria Union in South Africa, following the recent attacks against Nigerians in the Province. READ ALSO: EFCC indicts Saraki and his aides in N19bn Paris Club scam “Following the reported attack on Nigerians in Polokwane, Limpopo Province, I sent an officer to the area. He held meetings with the local taxi drivers, Nigeria Union and the police. “The aim is to resolve issues and ensure cordial relationship between Nigerians and South Africans,’’ he said. Cobham said the meeting set up a committee comprising the Nigerian community, South African police and taxi drivers to identify trouble makers and hand them over to the police. “Nigerians in that community volunteered to point out trouble makers and hand them over to the police and with that intervention, peace has returned to Polokwane. “The committee is to report to the mission periodically, while the mission will take the report to the main body, the Early Warning Unit, set up by the Nigerian Foreign Affairs minister and his South African counterpart,’’ he said. Cobham also said “the mission is on top of the situation and we assure our people that with the early warning unit in place, a lot will be achieved in this regard’’. Mr Ikechukwu Anyene, President, Nigeria Union, said the meeting in Polokwane was fruitful. He said that though no Nigerian died, two were seriously injured and were still in hospital. READ ALSO: CBN introduces new forex rate “We had a meeting with the Nigerian community in the city and told them to be law abiding because the South African Police assured us that they are in charge and will not tolerate lawlessness,’’ he said. Read more: https://www.naij.com/1096027-nigerian-mission-top-situation-fg-reacts-latest-xenophobic-attack.html