Nwokolo to defend WBA NABA title April 26
Nigerian-American boxer Emeka Nwokolo will defend his WBA North American Boxing Association super welterweight title on April 26 at the Mass Mutual Center in Springfield, Massachusetts, USA.
The 32-year-old son of Nigerian boxing legend Charles Nwokolo has begun preparations for the bout, although his opponent is yet to be announced.
Nwokolo recently shared a training video on social media with the caption, “Champions are not born, they are made. April 26 live on @reyes.boxing.”
The fight will mark Nwokolo’s first appearance in the ring since being named the 2024 Universal Boxing Organisation Boxer of The Year, an accolade he received following his impressive performances in capturing two major titles last year.
“I woke up this morning to see this acknowledgement of my hard work in 2024 and it made me feel really good. It gives me confidence and makes me want to work even harder because this is only the beginning,” Nwokolo had told NewsNGR Sports Extra in January.
The Los Angeles-based fighter, who boasts a professional record of 13 wins, one loss, and 11 knockouts, has been on an impressive run, securing six consecutive victories.
In June 2024, Nwokolo captured both the WBA NABA super welterweight and UBO world super welterweight belts after defeating Colombia’s Jeovanis Barraza at the DoubleTree by Hilton in Manchester, New Hampshire.
The fight, which headlined the “Down & Dirty 10” event promoted by Reyes Boxing, saw Nwokolo score a comprehensive win with judges’ scores of 120-108, 120-108, and 118-110, showcasing his dominance despite Barraza’s bravery.
Prior to that, he had stopped Clinton Chavez in five rounds to claim the UBO International title at the Muhammad Ali Centre in Louisville, Kentucky on January 20, 2024.
Nwokolo’s other titles include the WBF International super welterweight belt, won on December 17, 2022, against Ramon Barajas by TKO, and the American Boxing Federation Mid America super welterweight title, secured on June 30, 2023, against Donald Ward by undisputed decision.
The upcoming April bout comes after Nwokolo has recovered from a hand injury that had temporarily sidelined him.
“What I’m really looking forward to is getting back in the ring. My hand is healing nicely now and I’m just excited to fight. Despite having this injury, I never stopped working, so I want to show my new skills and keep moving up,” he had said earlier this year.
The US-based fighter, who donated boxing kits to young pugilists in Lagos during a visit to Nigeria in 2024, had previously expressed interest in fighting in his homeland this year.
“I think by next year (2025), by the grace of God, I’ll have a fight coming up in Nigeria. I am going to fight in Lagos or in my hometown, where my dad comes from, in Anambra,” Nwokolo had said during a press briefing at the Nigeria Boxing Board of Control office in Lagos.
