BOXING: Former Champion Joe Lasisi (60) Challenges Bash Ali (57) To Guinness World Record Title Fight

A former African Boxing Union light heavyweight champion, Joe Lasisi, on Wednesday threw a challenge to fight Bash Ali, for the “Guinness World Book of Records” title fight. Mr, Lasisi, 60, said in Lagos that “Ali should accept my challenge if he really wants to prove he deserves to be in the record book.

“I have decided to come out of retirement; I’m fit and ready and Ali should accept my challenge and let us see who is truly Nigeria’s great.”

The National Sports Commission on January 7 in Abuja inaugurated a Local Organising Committee for the proposed Bash Ali Guinness World Book of Records title fight.


Mr. Ali will be 58 on February 27.

Mr. Lasisi said if Ali accepted his challenge, he would remind Nigerians of the “dazzling display” that earned him his reputation as one of the country’s best boxers.

He was at different times the National, African and Commonwealth light heavyweight boxing champion before he retired.

Responding, Mr. Ali said he was willing to accept Mr. Lasisi’s challenge on the condition that a contract would be signed for “a winner takes all battle.”

Mr. Ali boasted that he was ready for any opposition, adding that his only concern was that Mr. Lasisi could decide to pull out of the contest.

“A fight with Lasisi, two years ago would have been good but he chickened out of it because he was scared. I believe I can conquer any opponent.

“Lasisi can come with everything he’s got; I’m ready for him. But we must sign an agreement before the fight will hold,” Bash Ali said.

Mr. Ali, a former World Cruiser weight boxing champion, said that nothing would stop him from writing his name in the Guinness World Book of Records.