This article aims to list the names of Nigerian kickboxers. Some names in this list represented Nigeria in international kickboxing competitions while others were/are professional kickboxers competing in various kickboxing promotions across the globe.
Read on.
Below is a list of Nigerian kickboxers:
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Israel Adesanya
Israel Adesanya is widely known for his exploits as a mixed martial artist in the Middleweight division in the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC). But before his foray into mixed martial arts, Adesanya had had 80 fights in his professional kickboxing career, winning 75, of which 29 were won by knockouts.
As a 21-year-old Nigerian-New Zealand national living in New Zealand, Adesanya had his kickboxing debut in May 2010, at the Chinese Wu Ling Feng – a martial arts competition. He won his debut fight against Tim Antonio by unanimous decision and went on to win six more, having a 7-win streak.
Four years after his kickboxing debut in China, he fought in the Kickboxing 80kg category at the 2014 Kunlun Fight Tournament. He put up some good fights in the tournament, eventually crashing out in the semi-final to Simon Marcus.
His debut in the Singaporean international promotion, Glory, was during the Glory 15 tournament, a fight he lost to Flip Verlinden. Adesanya was itching to return the favour when he won Flip Verlinden in a bout at the 2016 Glory of Heroes.
In his country of naturalization, New Zealand, he participated in the Kings in the Ring Kickboxing tournament, and competed in the Cruiserweights II category, reaching the final and knocking out Jamie Eades to clinch victory. Six months after the Cruiserweights II victory, Adesanya participated in the 2015 Cruiserweights III tournament, in which he reached the final, then knocked out Pati Afoa to win the competition.
As he moved up in weight, Adesanya participated in the 2016 Heavyweight III tournament, which he won, beating Jamie Eades by a unanimous decision. Later that 2016, Adesanya participated in the Glory Middleweight Tournament, winning against Yousri Belgaroui in a split decision.
Adesanya’s last day as a professional kickboxer was in a rematch against Alex Periaria in the Glory of Heroes 7 competition. He lost that bout to Alex Perirra, just as he had lost in the first fight. Adesanya left kickboxing to mixed martial arts where he now plys his trade.
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Anthony Obinna Njokuani
Anthony Njokuani is a Nigerian-American who boasts a near-perfect professional kickboxing record of 25 wins and 3 losses. His kickboxing career lasted from 2007 to 2019. In that period, Anthony participated in several kickboxing competitions, such as the ONE Hero Series, ONE Champion: Call to Greatness, ONE Champion: Kingdom of Heroes, World Combat League, Lion Fight 34, and Triumphant 1 Muay Thai Series 1.
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Andy Ologun
Andy Ologun is versatile in several full-contact combat sports, including boxing, mixed martial arts, and boxing. He had a three-year stint as a professional kickboxer, from 2006 to 2009. In those 3 years, Andy Ologun competed in 3 bouts, winning just one and losing the rest, of which one was a knockout. The events in which he participated as a professional kickboxer include the 2006 K-1 World Max Champion, K-1 World Max 2007, and 2009 K-1 World Max Tournament.
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Bobby Ologun
Bobby Ologun, or Alaji Ologun, if you go by his birth name, is a Nigerian, as well as a naturalized citizen of Japan. He is known for having several careers, of which kickboxing is one. His career as a professional kickboxer was a short one, losing the only fight he featured as a kickboxer.
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Kelvin Tariq Osaro
Kelvin Tariq Osara is a professional Dutch-Nigerian kickboxer who has won 24 fights, lost 2, and drawn 2. His first fight as a professional kickboxer was in October 2020. From then until the present day, he has participated in numerous kickboxing tournaments, losing some and winning some. He won the 2022 Road to ONE Heavyweight Tournament as well as the 2023 Glory Four-Man Heavyweight Tournament held in April this year.
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Izu Ugonoh
Izu Ugonoh, who holds both Nigerian and Polish citizenship, is a mixed martial artist and former kickboxer. His kickboxing career involved 20 bouts, of which he recorded 2 losses and 18 wins of which 15 were won by knockout outs.
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Lovethpatra Ekufu
Lovethpatra Ekufu’s day job as an Assistant Superintendent of the Nigerian Police Force hasn’t stopped her from recording massive wins representing Nigeria in international competitions, first as a long-distance athlete, and later in various full-contact combat sports.
In 2007 while representing Nigeria in the 2007 Kickboxing Amateur World Championship in Karlsruhe, Germany. In that competition, he clinched the gold medal, becoming the first African woman to win a kickboxing world championship. She competed in several other international kickboxing tournaments and clinched more gold medals.
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Abdullahi Trigger Saleh
Abdullahi Trigger was part of the Nigerian contingent at the 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship held in Cameroon in June 2018. He competed as a kickboxer in the 67kg Men category and won a gold medal.
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Juliet Ukah
Juliet Ukah was part of the Nigerian contingent at the 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship held in Cameroon in June 2018. She competed as a kickboxer in the 86kg Women’s category and won a gold medal.
- Awoleye Olakunle
Awoleye Olakunle was part of the Nigerian contingent at the 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship held in Cameroon in June 2018. He competed as a kickboxer in the 71kg Men category and won a silver medal.
- Epere Prince
Epere Prince was part of the Nigerian contingent at the 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship held in Cameroon in June 2018. He competed as a kickboxer in the 54kg Men category and won a silver medal.
- Michael Ayodele Babatunde
Michael Ayodele Babatunde was part of the Nigerian contingent at the 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship held in Cameroon in June 2018. He competed as a kickboxer in the 81kg Men category and won a silver medal.
- Ochefu Godwin Daniel
Ochefu Godwin Daniel was part of the Nigerian contingent at the 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship held in Cameroon in June 2018. He competed as a kickboxer in the 81kg Men category and won a silver medal.
- Oluwatoyin Esther Oladeji
Oluwatoyin Esther Oladeji was part of the Nigerian contingent at the 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship held in Cameroon in June 2018. She competed as a kickboxer in the 60kg Women’s category and won a silver medal.
- Michael Henry
Michael Henry represented Nigeria as a kickboxer at the 2018 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship, winning a silver medal.
- Akintayo Pamilerin
Akintayo Pamilerin represented Nigeria as a kickboxer at the 2018 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship, winning a silver medal.
- Onoja Emmanuel Baba
Onoja Emmanuel represented Nigeria as a kickboxer at the 2018 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship, winning a silver medal.
- Erhahon Osarumwense
Erhahon Osarumwense represented Nigeria as a kickboxer at the 2018 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship, winning a silver medal.
- Efume Efu
Efume Efu Samson Solomon represented Nigeria as a kickboxer at the 2018 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship, winning a silver medal.
- Samson Solomon
Samson Solomon represented Nigeria as a kickboxer at the 2018 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship, winning a bronze medal.
- Cornelius Godspower
Cornelius Godspower represented Nigeria as a kickboxer at the 2018 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship, winning a bronze medal.
- Onyeka Uchejim
Onyeka Uchejim represented Nigeria as a kickboxer at the 2018 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship, winning a bronze medal.
- Oweh Bernard
Oweh Bernard represented Nigeria as a kickboxer at the 2018 5th WAKO African Kickboxing Championship, winning a bronze medal.