Osumanu stops Affini to retain WBO Africa title

The Idrowhyt Event Centre in Dansoman was electrified last Friday night as Ghana’s Haruna “Saabo” Osumanu delivered a dominant performance in power and precision, stopping Nigeria’s Idris “Infinity” Affini in the seventh round to retain his WBO Africa heavyweight title.

The rematch, billed as a grudge fight after Osumanu’s initial victory over Affini in December 2023, lived up to its hype, with the Ghanaian champion proving once again why he is one of the continent’s most feared heavyweights.

Power and endurance

From the opening bell, Osumanu (17-3, 11 KOs) made his intentions clear. Affini, who had vowed to avenge his previous defeat and take the title back to Lagos, found himself on the back foot almost immediately. 

Osumanu’s strategy was simple but devastating: target the body, sap Affini’s energy, and wait for the opening to unleash his power.

However, despite his dominance, the champion struggled to land the decisive knockout blow until the seventh round, when he finally overpowered the resilient but outmatched Nigerian.

By the fourth round, Affini was in full retreat mode, forced to circle the ring in an attempt to escape Osumanu’s relentless pursuit.

Whenever the champion closed the distance, Affini resorted to clinching, much to the frustration of both Osumanu and the partisan Dansoman crowd.

His excessive holding even prompted referee Roger Barnor to deduct points in the third and fourth rounds, but the Nigerian refused to change tactics.

The defining moment arrived in the seventh round. Sensing an opportunity, Osumanu launched a ferocious flurry of punches that sent Affini crashing onto his back.

Though he beat the referee’s count, he was visibly shaken. Osumanu wasted no time, swarming his opponent the moment the fight resumed, and a second barrage of punches sent Affini down once more.

The Nigerian managed to rise again, but this time, the ringside doctor intervened after assessing his condition. Declaring Affini unfit to continue, the referee waved off the contest, handing Osumanu a well-earned TKO victory.

The win improves the Ghanaian’s professional record to 17 wins, three losses, with 11 knockouts.

Osumanu, a well-known drummer and ever the showman, took the microphone to serenade the crowd with his signature songs, thanking Allah for his victory.

“It’s been a difficult period since I won the title, but this victory marks a new beginning for me,” he said.

“My opponent is good and gave me strong competition so I am very happy with my performance but there is still a lot of room for improvement,” he said, declaring that he was ready to hit the international arena.

Night of knockouts

The action-packed Cabic Big Fight Night thrilled fans, with several explosive bouts delivering emphatic finishes.

Rising star Daniel Selassie Gorsh, the WBO Africa bantamweight champion, showcased his devastating power by demolishing veteran Isaac Nettey in just two rounds of their scheduled eight-round contest.

Olympic medallist Samuel Takyi, known as the ‘Ring Warrior,’ put on a punishing display against Togo’s Komlangan Hounkpatin.

After three one-sided rounds, Hounkpatin’s corner had seen enough, throwing in the towel before the fourth round could begin.

Takyi’s 2023 African Games teammate, Theophilus Kpakpo Allotey, was equally ruthless, forcing Jonathan Agbeviade to remain in his corner after four punishing rounds.

Abu Kamoko, son of the retired flamboyant boxer, Braimah Kamoko (Bukom Banku), needed just one round to dispatch Kwesi Tutu in a light heavyweight clash.

Youn prospect, Kevin Abraham ‘Carter,’ extended his perfect record to six wins, all by knockout, with a second-round stoppage of Ansah Kofi Raymond in a light heavyweight clash. 

Former Ghana and West Africa champion Delali Miledzi emerged victorious in a hard-fought international super middleweight battle against Benin’s Naimou Aziz Samson, while Abubakar Mubarak bounced back from his first career loss in a WBO Africa super middleweight title fight in Namibia last year.

Mubarak made a resounding statement, knocking out Thomas Okaidjah Aryeetey in the fourth round.