TRIBUTE: All Hail Bash Ali At 66, Guinness World Record Bout Remains Alive

The African Boxing Ambassador, Nigerian Bashiru Lawrence Ali (OON) who is popularly called Bash Ali turns 66 on Sunday 27 February, 2022 and expectedly, his fans and admirers all over the world have not stopped wishing the most decorated pugilist in Nigeria happy birthday.

The day is indeed another moment for Bash Ali to look back to see how he has been able to make his mark as a boxer of repute who has done so much to promote his trade not only in Nigeria but across the world.

Bash Ali, who hails from Edo State, south-south Nigeria, a former wrestler turned boxer, is described as the “boxer in the world to win a world boxing title without first boxing as an amateur. He is the only boxer in the world to win every cruiserweight title conceivable -California, United States Boxing Association (USBA), North America Boxing Federation (NABF),
World Boxing Council International (twice) and the current World Boxing Federation champion.

Bash Ali who was honoured with a chieftaincy title, Ajagungbade of Ibadanland, has the best boxing record of 75 wins and 57 KOs in the cruiserweight division. He is the only boxer in the world to have the massive support of a world boxing body, the World Boxing Federation to satisfy a California Superior Court Judgement.

‘Because of his contributions to the promotions and development of sports in his native country, Nigeria, he was awarded the highest national honour ever given to a Nigerian athlete, the Officer of the Order of the Niger (OON).

It was reported that when Bash Ali had his first world boxing title defence in Nigeria on 5 December, 1987 against Kevin Wagstaff, of Australia, boxing was at low point in the country.

Through the fight, the game was resuscitated from the pit, as Bash Ali became the saving icon of the pugilist trade in Nigeria.

“He literally became the Jesus Christ of boxing in Nigeria.”

On September 9, 2000, he intimidated, broke down physically and knocked out the then World Boxing Federation champion, Terry Ray of the USA, to win the world cruiserweight title.

He became the “Black Moses of boxing because he took Nigeria to the Promise Land of Boxing.

Now, he wants to be in the Guinness World Record not only as the oldest boxer to fight for a world title, but to win it. His patriotic act will put Nigeria in the Guinness Book of World Records. The championship will bring in good develyto boxing in Nigeria.

This singular act at his age is beyond human comprehension, as it will make him the ultimate champion of boxing, the god of boxing in the world.

He is truly an extraordinary human being.