Niko Ali Walsh is hoping to take inspiration from his late grandfather Muhammad Ali and claim a revenge victory against Sona Akhare this weekend. It will be broadcast live on Sky Sports.
Ali Walsh suffered his first professional defeat last summer when he lost a closely fought majority decision to Akale, and now the two will clash again on the undercard of the WBO super lightweight title fight between Teofimo Lopez and Steve Clagett.
The 23-year-old has won two fights since that loss and now hopes to follow in his grandfather's footsteps and win after losing the first bout to Joe Frazier, bouncing back from the loss to win the rematch.
Niko Ali Walsh (left) and Sona Akhare (right) exchange punches during a close bout last August.
“Obviously I'm looking at my grandfather, my idol, my hero, but I'm also looking at myself,” Ali Walsh says. He told Sky Sports“I know what I'm going to do in the rematch and I'm looking forward to it.”
“I'm not a vengeful person. I think atonement is a better word because there's no personal grudge in this fight. I have no issues with him, he's just stuck between me and what I'm after.”
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“He didn't have to say yes. [to the rematch]So I respect him and his team, he has the guts to just say yes, because people don't have to and it happens a lot in boxing these days.”
Two of the three judges scored the first bout 58-56 in Akale's favour, while the other scored it a draw at 57-57, with Ali Walsh believing she had done enough to win the bout.
“I've watched the fight a few times and I felt like I landed the prettier punches, I hurt him, but he was the more aggressive one,” Ali Walsh said. “I think that might have upset the referee.”
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Teofimo Lopez will return to the ring in June to defend his world title against Steve Clagett.
“His punches weren't landing as often as mine, and they weren't landing as cleanly as mine, but he was busier and it looked like it.
“I'm not one to complain. I don't feel any hardship when I lose. When I lose, I look at every loss as preparation for a comeback. So, I'm happy that I lost and I'm happy to be where I am now.”
In the main event, Lopez will be defending his WBO super lightweight title, which he captured with a impressive points win over Scotland's Josh Taylor last June and then beat Germaine Ortiz by unanimous decision in February.
Canadian challenger Clagett has resurrected a checkered career in recent years, with consecutive wins since 2021 earning him a chance at a world title fight against Lopez. Watch live on Sky Sports Action from 2am on Sunday or STREAM NOW.
