Nico Ogbeide handled his professional debut with great confidence and will step through the ropes for the second time on December 20th at the Eastside rooms in Birmingham on BCB’s ‘Fight Before Xmas show.
The 29-year-old from Bordesley Green is a former white-collar boxer who made the decision to join the licenced game after twenty bouts on the unlicenced circuit, where he had plenty of success, picking up fifteen wins.
A late starter to the sport due to some parental reluctance, he started out instead with kickboxing, but after several years and some conversation, he switched to the Queensbury rules, and the super featherweight never looked back.
His debut came back in October at the H Suite in Edgbaston, where he was matched with the tough and experienced Logan Paling. Ogbeide boxed a little cautiously but won every round clear and notched up a 40-36 points victory.
“Honestly, it didn’t feel much different from the unlicensed nights when it came to the actual fight, the feeling was the same, the walk to the ring, so I didn’t feel any nerves. Everything else, though, was very different going through the pre-fight with the referee, and it was all more official.
“Paling was durable, but I felt I could have pushed a bit more. I had loads left in the tank when the final bell came, so I should have stepped it up in the last round. It all comes with the experience of boxing four three-minute rounds, and I need to trust my fitness.
“This time I am looking to be a bit more spiteful early on; I won’t look to ease my way in and am not going to waste time waiting around. It will be down to me to push the pace and make it my kind of fight.
“I am getting a good mix of sparring; I do two days a week at the BCB gym in Wednesbury, where I have done rounds with James Beech Jr. and James Scarrott, plus a few of the amateurs. I am getting stronger, and I am always working on my strength and conditioning.
“It has been a good year considering the delays I had with my brain scan. The fact I have managed to box twice this year is great and will put me in a good position heading into 2024. I want to enjoy Christmas and push on, but first I need to do the job on December 20th”.
Tickets for the December 20th ‘Fight Before Xmas’ show are available now from the boxers directly or by emailing info@bcb-promotions.com, priced at £40 standard and £80 VIP Ringside.
