Tension is building ahead of the 14th edition of the Battle of the Ages boxing series as fighters exchanged confident words during a press conference and face-off organised by De-Lads Boxing Promotions at the National Stadium, Surulere, Lagos.
The highly anticipated boxing show, tagged “No Reconciliation,” is scheduled for Saturday, September 26, 2026, at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Institute of Sports (NIS), Lagos. The card will feature seven professional bouts and a celebrity contest, with the event sanctioned by the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control (NBBofC).
The major attraction will be the rematch between Ridwan “Scorpion” Oyekola and Tosin “Sojar Boy” Osaigbovo for the WBA Africa Gold lightweight title over 10 rounds. Reports ahead of the event indicate that both fighters have been signed for the rematch, renewing a rivalry that dates back to their previous encounter.
Their first professional meeting came at Battle of the Ages 10 in December 2024, when Osaigbovo defeated Oyekola by unanimous decision over eight rounds. The result has provided much of the background to the return bout, with both camps now preparing for another encounter.
At the latest press conference and face-off, the fighters on the card showed little willingness to back down, with several promising that their performances would settle the arguments once they step into the ring.
Beyond the headline rematch, two other titles will be contested on the night. Idowu Rasheed is billed to face Ghana’s Benjamin Tetteh for the WBA Africa lightweight title, while Damilare Arowolo will meet unbeaten Azeem Bakare in a national middleweight title contest.
Other scheduled professional bouts include Ahmed Lawal versus Sodiq Oyakojo in a national lightweight challenge, Saheed Abdullahi versus Abdul-Afeez Oshoba in a national welterweight challenge, Rilwan Babatunde versus Michael Ani in a national super-welterweight challenge, and Uzoukwu Cadet versus Omejeh Chimaobi in a heavyweight contest.
The programme will also feature a celebrity bout between Kelvin Power and bodybuilder Viper, adding a different dimension to the fight night.
Speaking ahead of the event, NBBofC president Rafiu Ladipo said the growth of professional boxing in Nigeria in recent years had been encouraging. He also commended De-Lads Boxing Promotions for investing in young fighters and contributing to the development of the sport.
De-Lads Boxing Promotions CEO Alhaji Waheed said the promotion had continued to improve from one edition to another. He also disclosed that additional security measures had been put in place following issues experienced at a previous event. According to him, the September 26 show will also be streamed on multiple platforms.
The organisers have billed the event as a major night of professional boxing, with the Oyekola-Osaigbovo rematch expected to command particular attention because of the history between the two lightweights.
With the fighters now done with the verbal exchanges and face-off, attention turns to the Indoor Sports Hall of the NIS on September 26, where the ring will provide the final answers to the growing rivalry.
Battle of the Ages 14, “No Reconciliation,” begins at 5:00 p.m., according to advance event information.
Packaged by Olanrewaju Agiri
