BY TONY UBANI
Rivers State Kick Boxing star, Menia Jack, who is the best in his category while fighting in the blue corner yesterday suffered a major set-back in his quest to win gold for the state, as he was knocked-out of the Festival in the elimination bout of the Full-Contact event fought at the Port Harcourt City Hall venue of the competition.

Jack who came into the fight as a potential gold medalist after winning a gold in the Low Kick at the last edition of the Sports Festival at Kada Games, got his dream punctured in the third round when he lost by a technical knock-out to Ondo State’s Rotimi Adekunle in the -81kg category.

Jack who is a national kick boxing champion started the bout on a bright note as he sent his opponent to the canvass in the early minutes of the first round forcing the referee to give Adekunle a mandatory eight count.

The tide soon changed as Jack lost concentration as he started rushing to finish off his opponent, but this back-fired as the skillful Ondo State athlete capitalised on an opening to deliver a killer punch on Jack’s jaw forcing the Rivers’ boxer to kiss the canvass and passed out.

The incident caused a near pandemonium as the medical team ran into the ring to revive the kick boxing star.
Adekunle was declared winner of the bout on ground of technical knock out. With this victory he has qualified for the quarter-finals of the event and thus moved inches near the medal’s zone.

The chairman Media/Publicity Committee of the Kick Boxing Federation of Nigeria, Mr Dapo Sotuminu, said yesterday at the event venue that the situation has been put under control as the injured athlete got the best medical attention when the incident happened.

“We thank God that Menia Jack has fully recovered and he is back on his feet hale and hearty. It was an accident which you can not rule out in combat sports, but when this happens the best medical attention should be given to the injured which was what we did in our case yesterday. Jack was the better boxer who had won the first two rounds, before Adekunle’s lucky punch to the jaw ended the fight.”

In other bouts fought yesterday at the Port Harcourt City Hall, Ogbonna Samuel of Ondo State lost by a split 2-1 decision to Chikeneke Victor of Adamawa in the -54kg, while Nwoke Victor of Plateau State defeated Yusuff Auwal of Jigawa also in the same weight category.

Aliu Lateef of Benue State was too strong for Iheanatu Chibueze of Kano State in the -54kg as the referee was forced to stop the fight as the Kano state kick boxer could not fight back again.

In the -60kg class, Edo State Nosa Erahon won by a split decision against Pedro Kings of Rivers State. The judges’ decision was controversially delayed which almost caused a crowd uproar.

Kings refused to leave the ring after the referee declared his opponent winner.

A total of 34 bouts were fought yesterday with KBFN board member Happy John, International Referee Gboyega Adeniji-Adele and Sensei Victor Bassey taking charge of technical matters.

The Kick Boxing event continues today as it enters the medals’ zone.