27 years ago

Date: 11th January 1997

Title: WBO World Heavyweight Title

Promoter: Don King Productions

Tv:

Henry Akinwande
( 31 - 0 - 1 )
Weight: 232½ lbs

Scott Welch
( 19 - 2 - )
Weight: 229 lbs

On January 11, 1997, at the Nashville Arena in Nashville, Tennessee, WBO Heavyweight Champion Henry Akinwande defended his title for the second time against British challenger Scott Welch. The fight lasted 12 rounds and ended with Akinwande winning a unanimous decision.

Welch had earned his shot at the title after an eight-fight winning streak, including victories over notable British heavyweights Julius Francis and Joe Bugner and a points win over former WBO title challenger Daniel Eduardo Neto. However, despite his recent success, Welch was considered by many to be an underwhelming challenger for Akinwande's WBO crown.

From the opening bell, it was clear that Akinwande was in a different class than Welch. The champion's significant reach advantage made it difficult for Welch to get close enough to land meaningful shots. Akinwande, content to outbox his opponent, dominated the fight from start to finish.

The judges' scorecards reflected Akinwande's complete control of the bout. Two judges scored the contest 120-108 in his favour, giving him every round. The third judge scored it 119-110, still a wide margin of victory for the champion. Although Akinwande could not stop Welch within the distance, his performance left no doubt about his superiority on the night.

Following this loss, Welch's career began to decline. He fought just four more times professionally, with his final bout being a defeat to Julius Francis in 1999. After retiring from boxing, Welch transitioned to acting, appearing in the Guy Ritchie film "Snatch" in 2000.

For Henry Akinwande, the victory over Welch clearly indicated that he should move on from defending his WBO title and instead challenge one of the champions holding the more prestigious belts in the heavyweight division.