By CHIDI MATHEW NWACHUKWU

Boxing legend, Bash Ali, has accused the Federal Government of Nigeria of extortion and corruption over the stalled hosting of the Guinness World Record Boxing Championship fight in the country.

He dropped the bombshell in a letter addressed to President Bola Tinubu, dated 14th April, 2025, alleging that the government had initially collected from him an advance payment of $12 million, and extorted millions of naira from him, but had still stalled the process due to his refusal to succumb to further extortion.

“The Federal Government of Nigeria (FGN), through The Office of the Chief of Staff to Mr. President, got an advance payment of $12M USD.

“The FGN stalled the hosting of the first Guinness World Record Boxing Championship Fight on the soil of Africa & the benefits to Nigeria,” Ali said in the letter, a copy of which was sighted by News Express.

He further claimed that the event, which would have brought honour, glory, and revenue to Nigeria, had been stalled due to corruption, and that 32 countries were ready to participate in the historic fight.

“All Guinness World Record Boxing Championship fights have held in the United States of America; so, mine would be the first outside and the most lucrative in the history of Pay Per View Television Revenue, sales of souvenirs, sponsorship, advertisement etc.

“32 countries are coming to Nigeria to be part of Boxing History and the FGN has written to the World Boxing Body to guarantee in Nigeria, the safety of their members, and that the Ministry of Youth & Sports, now the National Sports Commission (NSC), will follow up to ensure timely payment of their Approval Fee which is domiciled at the Central Bank of Nigeria by the private sector.

“For almost 19 years, to make this historic event a reality in Nigeria, the FGN has on three occasions, November 9, 2006, January 7, 2014 and May 21, 2019 inaugurated the Bash Ali Boxing Project Local Organizing Committee with the 3 arms of government, legislative (Senate and House of Representatives Committee Chairmen on Sports), executive (Office of the Chief of Staff to Mr. President), & Judiciary (Office of the Attorney General of the Federation) as members.

“The private sector will provide the funds while the FGN will provide an enabling environment for a successful show, but corruption has stalled it,” Ali wrote.

He called on President Tinubu to intervene and allow the fight to hold in Nigeria, urging him to re-inaugurate the Bash Ali Boxing Project Local Organizing Committee to knock out unnecessary obstacles caused by corruption.

“I am respectfully asking for the immediate re-inauguration of the Bash Ali Boxing Project Local Organizing Committee by Mr. President so all the unnecessary obstacles caused by corruption would be knocked out so this historic fight can hold in our great country, Nigeria,” Ali wrote.

He further requested that his allegations against certain government officials, including former sports ministers Sunday Dare and John Enoh, be investigated, appropriate sanctions taken against them, and that the extorted money be refunded to him.