By Onochie Anibeze

Nigeria’s Muideen Akanji looked pitiable right from the moment he stepped into the boxing ring. His movement on the canvass was suspect and so were his punches.

And when the bell tolled, Irish man O’Neill Darren showed more vim and vitality with sharper reflexes that scored points. Muideen who looked a shadow of himself could not deliver the sucker punches that had become his hallmark.

On many occasions, he ran into trouble and could not waive off the jabs from which his opponent gained points. But he managed to last the distance and lost miserably 15 -6.