06-24-2023, 06:27 PM
Hemi Ahio fired up for must-win heavyweight shootout in the US
Sam Wilson
Kiwi heavyweight Hemi Ahio is looking to get his career back on track after a surprise defeat last year.
Heavyweight fight: Hemi Ahio v Mike Balogun. Where: FireLake Arena, Shawnee, Oklahoma. When: Sunday, July 23 (NZT). Coverage: Live on ESPN
Hemi Ahio plans on being the last man standing when he and fellow heavyweight gunslinger Mike Balogun face off in the Old American West next month.
With 31 knockouts between them in 42 fights, few expect the scheduled eight-round shootout between New Zealand's Ahio (20-1, 15 KOs) and Maryland native Balogun (20-1, 16 KOs) to go the distance at the FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Especially with Ahio promising to enter the ring on July 23 (NZT) with a killer mentality as he looks to get back on the horse after suffering his first career defeat to Faiga 'Django' Opelu late last year.
The 32-year-old Aucklander returned to the win column after a routine first-round stoppage of journeyman Richie Stanley (0-4, 0 KOs) in February, but will get a much stiffer test of his credentials from the hard-punching Balogun, a former NFL linebacker who made one appearance for the Buffalo Bills in the 2010-11 season.
Hemi Ahio admits he "froze" in the ring against Faiga 'Django' Opelu and hopes to secure a rematch.
After finding his chances limited in gridiron, Balgoun took up boxing instead, turning professional in 2014. He reeled off 20 successive wins (16 early) to earn himself a shot at the vacant WBA Intercontinental heavyweight title in March.
However, the 39-year-old was no match for highly-rated Russian Murat Gassiev (30-1, 23 KOs), succumbing to a crushing second round stoppage defeat in the Armenian capital Yerevan.
Which means both Ahio and Balogun have a point to prove when they meet on the undercard of Australian George Kambosos Jr's IBO world lightweight title challenge against Maxi Hughes.
He may not be drinking in the last chance saloon yet, but Ahio – who only started boxing a decade ago to learn self-defence after being stabbed at an Auckland bus stop – knows another defeat would relegate him to mere journeyman status.
“We're ready to go,” said Ahio, who trains under Doug Viney and Israel Adesanya's coach Eugene Bareman at the City Kickboxing Gym.
“I was told about this fight like three months ago and then it died down but I just kept training and training and training, and now it's been confirmed.
“I'm going to knock him out, bro.”
To prepare for Balogun, who like the 183cm Ahio is on the smaller side for a heavyweight, the New Zealander has been “doing a lot of rounds with lighter guys, cruiserweights and light heavyweights”.
And while respectful of his power (“sixteen KOs is a big number to have on your record”) Ahio was nevertheless confident of getting his hand raised against a fighter who is ranked 60 places above him by BoxRec.
Linebacker Mike Balogun made one appearance for the Buffalo Bills during the 2010-11 NFL season.
Should he emerge victorious, then Ahio would very much love to run back his fight with Australia-based Samoan slugger Opelu (15-4-2, 11 KOs), which ended in a fourth-round TKO defeat when the referee waved it off with Ahio taking punishment in the corner.
The usually aggressive Ahio looked strangely subdued from the opening bell in Melbourne and while not one to offer excuses, said he didn't feel right on the day.
“That whole camp I was fit, everything was right. Even up to when I got into the ring I still felt good,” Ahio said. “Then in the first five seconds [of the fight], something came over me – I just froze in the ring. I couldn't really move. I don't know what it was.
“I started loosening up, maybe about round three, but it was too late. I watched the highlights and I looked so bad. I didn't feel that my head was ringing as much [as it was] from those punches.
“Respect to him, he kept coming forward but I don't know what happened to me in that fight. I didn't do myself justice.”
Of course, Ahio's compatriot Joseph Parker had no such trouble against Opelu, blasting him out in the opening round last month and demonstrating that there really are levels to this game.
Ahio was impressed by what he saw (“Parker got him pretty good in that one!”) and believes he could do the same in a rematch.
But first he must take care of business against Balogun to remain relevant in the heavyweight scene. With the backing of influential US promoter Lou DiBella, there will be further opportunities for Ahio so long as he wins and wins well on his third appearance in the United States.
“I want to get this guy first, and then I'm hoping I'll get a few more [fights this year],” said Ahio. “I'm hoping for at least three.”
Sam Wilson
Kiwi heavyweight Hemi Ahio is looking to get his career back on track after a surprise defeat last year.
Heavyweight fight: Hemi Ahio v Mike Balogun. Where: FireLake Arena, Shawnee, Oklahoma. When: Sunday, July 23 (NZT). Coverage: Live on ESPN
Hemi Ahio plans on being the last man standing when he and fellow heavyweight gunslinger Mike Balogun face off in the Old American West next month.
With 31 knockouts between them in 42 fights, few expect the scheduled eight-round shootout between New Zealand's Ahio (20-1, 15 KOs) and Maryland native Balogun (20-1, 16 KOs) to go the distance at the FireLake Arena in Shawnee, Oklahoma.
Especially with Ahio promising to enter the ring on July 23 (NZT) with a killer mentality as he looks to get back on the horse after suffering his first career defeat to Faiga 'Django' Opelu late last year.
The 32-year-old Aucklander returned to the win column after a routine first-round stoppage of journeyman Richie Stanley (0-4, 0 KOs) in February, but will get a much stiffer test of his credentials from the hard-punching Balogun, a former NFL linebacker who made one appearance for the Buffalo Bills in the 2010-11 season.
Hemi Ahio admits he "froze" in the ring against Faiga 'Django' Opelu and hopes to secure a rematch.
After finding his chances limited in gridiron, Balgoun took up boxing instead, turning professional in 2014. He reeled off 20 successive wins (16 early) to earn himself a shot at the vacant WBA Intercontinental heavyweight title in March.
However, the 39-year-old was no match for highly-rated Russian Murat Gassiev (30-1, 23 KOs), succumbing to a crushing second round stoppage defeat in the Armenian capital Yerevan.
Which means both Ahio and Balogun have a point to prove when they meet on the undercard of Australian George Kambosos Jr's IBO world lightweight title challenge against Maxi Hughes.
He may not be drinking in the last chance saloon yet, but Ahio – who only started boxing a decade ago to learn self-defence after being stabbed at an Auckland bus stop – knows another defeat would relegate him to mere journeyman status.
“We're ready to go,” said Ahio, who trains under Doug Viney and Israel Adesanya's coach Eugene Bareman at the City Kickboxing Gym.
“I was told about this fight like three months ago and then it died down but I just kept training and training and training, and now it's been confirmed.
“I'm going to knock him out, bro.”
To prepare for Balogun, who like the 183cm Ahio is on the smaller side for a heavyweight, the New Zealander has been “doing a lot of rounds with lighter guys, cruiserweights and light heavyweights”.
And while respectful of his power (“sixteen KOs is a big number to have on your record”) Ahio was nevertheless confident of getting his hand raised against a fighter who is ranked 60 places above him by BoxRec.
Linebacker Mike Balogun made one appearance for the Buffalo Bills during the 2010-11 NFL season.
Should he emerge victorious, then Ahio would very much love to run back his fight with Australia-based Samoan slugger Opelu (15-4-2, 11 KOs), which ended in a fourth-round TKO defeat when the referee waved it off with Ahio taking punishment in the corner.
The usually aggressive Ahio looked strangely subdued from the opening bell in Melbourne and while not one to offer excuses, said he didn't feel right on the day.
“That whole camp I was fit, everything was right. Even up to when I got into the ring I still felt good,” Ahio said. “Then in the first five seconds [of the fight], something came over me – I just froze in the ring. I couldn't really move. I don't know what it was.
“I started loosening up, maybe about round three, but it was too late. I watched the highlights and I looked so bad. I didn't feel that my head was ringing as much [as it was] from those punches.
“Respect to him, he kept coming forward but I don't know what happened to me in that fight. I didn't do myself justice.”
Of course, Ahio's compatriot Joseph Parker had no such trouble against Opelu, blasting him out in the opening round last month and demonstrating that there really are levels to this game.
Ahio was impressed by what he saw (“Parker got him pretty good in that one!”) and believes he could do the same in a rematch.
But first he must take care of business against Balogun to remain relevant in the heavyweight scene. With the backing of influential US promoter Lou DiBella, there will be further opportunities for Ahio so long as he wins and wins well on his third appearance in the United States.
“I want to get this guy first, and then I'm hoping I'll get a few more [fights this year],” said Ahio. “I'm hoping for at least three.”