Nigerian boxer Abdulramon Abdulwahab has damaged his silence following his controversial 4–1 defeat to Egypt’s Hekal Ahmed on the ongoing African Boxing Elite Championships 2026 in Nairobi, Kenya, revealing that his opponent approached him instantly after their encounter to provide congratulations earlier than the judges introduced a call that shocked spectators.
The Nigerian fighter, who competed in the boys’s mild middleweight (65–70kg) class, stated he was assured in his efficiency all through the three-round contest and believed he had executed sufficient to safe victory.
According to Abdulwahab, the Egyptian boxer’s response instantly after the ultimate bell strengthened his perception that he had produced a profitable efficiency.
“My opponent came to congratulate me immediately after the fight. Even he was surprised when the decision was announced,” Abdulwahab revealed.
The Nigerian’s account provides one other dimension to the controversy surrounding the competition, which attracted criticism from some spectators and boxers from Angola who believed Abdulwahab had managed a lot of the motion from the opening spherical to the ultimate bell.
Despite the frustration, the decided boxer insisted that he wouldn’t permit the end result to derail his ambition or have an effect on his dedication to the game.
“I know what I did inside the ring. I know the effort I put into the fight. But I want to put the disappointment behind me and continue improving in my profession,” he stated.
Abdulwahab defined that his expertise competing at main worldwide competitions had taught him the significance of remaining mentally robust, significantly when confronted with outcomes that don’t mirror his private evaluation of a combat.
Reflecting on his earlier worldwide publicity, together with his expertise on the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, the Nigerian boxer prompt that Nairobi was not the primary event on which he had confronted disappointment in his boxing journey.
“I was at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow. I know what happened there too. But I don’t want to keep looking backwards. I want to put every disappointment behind me and concentrate on becoming a better boxer,” he acknowledged.
His remarks underline the emotional challenges confronted by athletes who make investments huge time, power and sources getting ready for main competitions, solely to encounter selections they discover troublesome to settle for.
For Abdulwahab, nevertheless, the expertise in Nairobi has strengthened his dedication to stay targeted on the larger image.
He maintained that dwelling on controversial selections would serve little goal if it prevented him from growing his abilities and getting ready for future alternatives.
“I am looking at the future. I will not allow this disappointment to distract me. I will continue to work hard and improve myself,” he declared.
The Nigerian’s response comes amid rising dialogue amongst some boxing stakeholders over officiating on the continental championship, significantly following one other disputed resolution involving Nigerian feminine boxer Aishat Gbadamosi, who misplaced 3–1 to Algeria’s Douaa Rouaz.
Both outcomes have generated debate amongst spectators, with some calling for higher transparency in judging and clearer explanations of choices that entice vital disagreement.
Although Abdulwahab’s account of his opponent’s congratulatory gesture is hanging, the Egyptian boxer’s reported response has not been independently confirmed, and it doesn’t in itself set up an officiating error.
The official consequence stays a 4–1 victory for Egypt’s Hekal Ahmed.
Nevertheless, the Nigerian boxer’s dedication to transfer ahead reasonably than develop into consumed by disappointment has emerged as a major side of the story.
His response additionally mirrors that of compatriot Aishat Gbadamosi, who instantly started reviewing footage of her combat after her defeat, demonstrating an identical dedication to studying and enchancment.
For each Nigerian athletes, the Nairobi championship could not have delivered the outcomes they desired, however their reactions counsel that the expertise will develop into a part of their growth reasonably than the top of their ambitions.
As questions surrounding the judging proceed, Abdulwahab stays targeted on the one space he believes he can management: his preparation, efficiency and future in boxing.
“I know what I did in the ring. I will not allow disappointment to distract me. My focus is on the future,” he maintained.
For the Nigerian fighter, the message from Nairobi is obvious: a controversial defeat could change the official file, however it won’t decide the course of his boxing profession.
