Segbedzi Retains, Bange, Lloyd-Taylor & Birdi New UBO Champions

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DECEMBER 20, 2023 / BY BY UBO PRESS OFFICER

In a local grudge-match, reigning UBO All-Africa Welterweight champion Sampson Segbedzi retained his title when his fight against Isaac Aryee went to a Technical Decision in round nine.

It had been a good fight up until that point, but unfortunately hooligans harassed boxers and officials to a point where it was decided that the bout had to be stopped for safety reasons.

At the time, the champion appeared on his way to victory and was at times hitting Aryee at will, but the challenger was still firing back and doing his best to turn the tide.

Segbedzi (25), considered one of the most promising Welterweights in Africa, is now 8-0 (6). Former Ghanaian and West African champion Aryee (30) is 27-11 (25).

Before the controversy erupted, three British boxers were successful in winning UBO titles far away from home.

Tony Bange, from Wraysbury, Berkshire, captured the vacant UBO International Super Welterweight title, stopping former UBO world title-challenger Kulwa Bushiri in six rounds.

Bange (33), taking part in his first championship fights, scored his first stoppage as he improved his professional ledger to 12-2 (1). Bushiri, coming off two stoppage victories, drops to 17-7-1 (8).

Hot prospect Robert Lloyd-Taylor Jr. (21), fighting out of London, scored a unanimous decision (79-73, 79-73, 79-74) over local man Michael Bibi (23) to win the vacant UBO Youth Welterweight title.

Lloyd-Taylor Jr., now 5-0 (0), dropped Bibi along the way, but could not finish him off and instead appeared to tire a bit before catching his second wind and finishing strong against the game Ghanaian.

Finally, Slough´s Sangeeta Birdi took home the vacant UBO Female International Featherweight title with a unanimous decision (97-94, 96-94, 96-94) over former world title-challenger Flora Machella.

Arguably the best, and by far her most accomplished opponent of Birdi´s career, Machela gave the Canadian-born Brit all she could handle at times, but it was a tight battle and no one could argue very hard against the result.

36-year-old Birdi goes to a misleading 4-5 (3), while Machela (34), from Dar Es Salaam in Tanzania, falls to 7-13-1 (5).