Nigerian-American boxer Emeka Nwokolo has insisted he did enough to beat Argentina’s Jonathan Sanchez, and says he will welcome a rematch after losing his WBA-NABA super welterweight title by unanimous decision in Long Beach, California, on Saturday.
Nwokolo was making the third defence of the belt on the “Champions of Tomorrow” card at Thunder Studios, but the judges scored the 10-round contest 96-94, 100-90 and 97-93 in favour of Sanchez, a result the 33-year-old has openly disputed.
“I genuinely believed I won the fight on points. I may not have delivered my usual performance, and I take responsibility for the areas where I could have done better. However, I respectfully disagree with the judges’ decision because I believe I did enough to win,” Nwokolo told our correspondent.
The Lion Heart 7o7 was nonetheless gracious towards the new champion.
“First, congratulations to my opponent. He got his moment, and I respect that. His reaction after the decision suggested that even he was surprised by the result. That is boxing, and I accept that the official decision went his way, even though I see the fight differently,” he said.
“I don’t believe he was the better fighter that night, and if I get the opportunity for a rematch, I’m confident I can come back stronger and prove myself. This experience has taught me that, in boxing, it’s not enough to believe you are winning rounds. You have to make your performance clear to the judges from the first round to the last.”
The son of Nigerian boxing legend Charles Nwokolo, who also holds the WBF International, UBO International, American Boxing Federation and UBO world titles, entered the fight with a record of 17 wins and one defeat, 14 of the victories coming by knockout.
He had returned in June from a year-long injury layoff with a third-round stoppage of Britain’s Darren Hamilton in Detroit, and the loss to Sanchez, who arrived with 27 wins, eight defeats and one draw, is his second as a professional.
Nwokolo said the experience of facing a seasoned opponent had broadened his outlook on the sport.
“Facing an opponent with so much professional experience opened my mind and gave me a different perspective on the sport. I learned valuable lessons that will help me grow, improve my performance, and become a more complete fighter,” he said.
“I didn’t walk away from this fight feeling that I had nothing to gain. I walked away with experience, lessons, and more motivation to keep moving forward. I started boxing later than many fighters, so every challenge is an opportunity to learn and develop.”
He vowed to bounce back, insisting the defeat had not shaken his self-belief, saying, “I have worked hard to become a champion, and one fight does not define my career or change my belief in myself. I congratulate my opponent on his moment, but I know what I am capable of.
“I will be back. If the opportunity comes to run it back, I will welcome it. This experience will make me a better fighter, and my journey toward becoming a world champion continues.”
Sanchez’s victory was one of two WBA-NABA title bouts on the card, which was headlined by undefeated featherweight prospect Julius Ballo, who stopped Carlos Torres in the third round. Jonny Mansour also won the co-main event by unanimous decision over George Rodriguez Pardo, while Charles Shinma claimed the WBA-NABA light heavyweight title with a split-decision win over Samuel Arnold.