Nigerian boxer, Akeem ‘Dodo’ Sadiku dies

By Our Reporter

AFRIQUE Boxing Promotion (COABOX) has announced the death of one its promising boxer, Akeem Sadiku popularly known as Dodo, who passed away Saturday morning at the University College Hospital (UCH) at age 37.

The boxer according to Olusola Ayodele, CEO of COABOX had a successful surgery on Friday and was returned to the Intensive Care Unit of UCH where he was recuperating, only to develop complications over night and gave up the ghost Saturday morning.

Sadiku who defeated George Amuzu from Côte D’Ivoire in a continental boxing challenge bout held at Ilaji Resort on December 27th on knockout has a good professional boxing record consisting of 11 total fights, with 9 Wins (7 by Knockout), 1 Loss and 1 Draw.

Mourning the super welterweight fighter, President Nigeria Boxing Board of Control, NBBofC Dr. Rafiu Ladipo described his death as a very sad one to the Nigerian boxing family saying Dodo is one of the best fighters Nigeria had in the professional cadre. 

“We have lost one of our finest boxers, I can remember how he won his last fight by knockout on the 27th December at Ilaji Resort, and never look sick, I pray God to grant him eternal rest. NBBofC will have a meeting tomorrow from where we will know what to do to support his family”, Ladipo noted. 

Also mourning the late boxer was the Secretary General of NBBofC, Remi Aboderin, who was in shock getting to hear the sad news. He described the incident as a tragic one to the entire boxing fraternity in Nigeria, saying “the guy was very vibrant last December when he fought against his opponent’.

He however prayed God to give his immediate family which comprises a wife and three children fortitude to bear the loss. “We’re trusting God will be with the family he left, as we don’tpray for our boxers to leave untimely like this again”.  

The Chairman of Oyo chapter of NBBofC, Hon. Opaleye Gbenga when contacted was short of words, but said: “I am struggling to take his corpse from UHC for burial today according to Islamic rite. We did everything humanly possible to save his life immediately he developed the complications and was taken to UCH but we lost him this morning eventually”.