“I’VE got a secret and I want to let it out,” former world welterweight champion Lloyd Honeyghan chuckled during a phone call to Boxing News. The British star, who claimed worldwide fame in 1986 when he halted the revered Donald Curry in Atlantic City, is managing unbeaten Nigerian heavyweight prospect, Onoriode Ehwarieme [pictured below], and is planning to unleash him in the UK. The 27-year-old fighter, whom Honeyghan calls “The Secret”, represented his country at the 2008 Beijing Olympics and his professional record stands at 11-0 (10).
“We want Dereck Chisora,” Honeyghan, 55, continued. “We will fight Chisora any time, any place, anywhere. [Chisora’s promoter] Frank Warren has my number. We can make a deal. The winner can fight Anthony Joshua.”
![Honeyghan [left] walks alongside Mike Tyson in London, 2000.](https://cdn1.boxingnewsonline.net/wp-content/uploads/Honeyghan-Tyson.jpg)
Honeyghan [pictured above walking alongside Mike Tyson in London, 2000] claims Ehwarieme is 6ft 9ins – as tall as British star Tyson Fury’s official height – and carries knockout power to rival the best in the division. Most of Ehwarieme’s fights have come against undemanding opposition, and have taken place in Accra, Ghana from where notable African stars like Azumah Nelson, Joshua Clottey and Ike Quartey hailed.
Honeyghan, who retired in 1995 with a record of 43-5 (30), has been watching his charge closely and waiting for the right time to bring him over to the UK. He believes that time is now with Fury preparing for an October 25 shot at Wladimir Klitschko, and Anthony Joshua’s domestic December 12 showdown with Dillian Whyte generating huge interest.
“Do you know how hard it’s been to keep this guy a secret?” Honeyghan said. “He was a good amateur and he can be a good professional. All he needs is a test and we want Dereck Chisora to be that test.”
Should Ehwarieme’s British invasion go to plan, the jovial Jamaican-born “Ragamuffin Man” is planning to introduce his fighter to the USA next year.
