The two words every reigning champion wants to hear in combat sports, and two words that rang out loud for Lani Daniels in Hamilton last night.
The Kiwi boxer successfully defended her IBF light heavyweight world title against previously undefeated Nigerian Bolatito Oluwole by unanimousdecision at Globox Arena.
Daniels was active throughout the bout, mixing up her targets well to attack the body and head of her opponent.
While Oluwole had some strong moments in the fight, landing with power and planting some clean shots on Daniels, the challenger wasn’t able to keep the same sort of pace as her Kiwi adversary.
The late rounds saw Daniels take over, frequently finding a home for her left hook and overhand right.
In the eighth round, Daniels looked to have Oluwole hurt when a short left hand got through the guard and stunned the challenger, but she was able to avoid further big shots before and immediately following it and was soon throwing shots of her own back at Daniels.
Ultimately, Daniels’ work rate and aggression in the fight got the job done, with the judges scoring the bout 100-90, 98-92, and 97-93 in the champion’s favour.
It was the 36-year-old’s first defence of her light heavyweight world title, after she claimed the vacant belt in a majority decision win over Desley Robinson in Whangārei last December.
The bout was Daniels’ fourth-straight world title fight. She claimed the vacant IBF heavyweight world title with a unanimous decision win over Alrie Meleisea back in May last year, before defending that belt in a fourth-round TKO win over South African Razel Mohammed three months later.
Daniels was forced to vacate her heavyweight title earlier this year due to IBF regulations that prohibited athletes holding world titles in two different weight divisions simultaneously.
