Torino midfielder, Joel Obi, has withdrawn from this weekend’s AFCON 2015 qualifier against Tanzania, as he is yet to recover from a muscle injury.
The 24-year-old is one of the 18 foreign professionals, that was invited for the clash by new coach, Sunday Oliseh.
Obi was missing from Sunday’s Serie A match against Fiorentina, as he only resumed training on Friday and has not regained match fitness.
“It’s not yet official, but it looks like he’s not coming due to his injury,” a top team official told AfricanFootball.com
Warrington desperate to beat Bunker
Josh Warrington has admitted that he has to beat Joel Bunker on Saturday, if he must earn a world title shot at Lee Selby.
There are speculations, that Selby will put his IBF featherweight belt on the line at Elland Road next year, but Warrington knows he must take it one step at a time.
Selby defeated Bunker (28-1-KO16) in October via a ninth-round stoppage. Warrington, who is currently unbeaten (21-0-KO4) knows he is expected to deliver this weekend.
“Just turning up today and seeing how many people have turned up for a public workout gives me a little taste of what it’s going to be like on Saturday,| Warrington told Sky Sports News HQ, at a public workout in Leeds.
”We’ll take every fight as it comes but hopefully down the line, that’s what we’re aiming for. Every fight at this level is a big fight.
“I’m dead excited and it’s going to be a busy crowd. It’ll be a good fight as well. I’m expecting a tough fight. Joel’s a good kid and you don’t get a record like his without being a decent prospect.
“I’ve trained hard for it and I’m ready for whatever he brings.”
On the possibility of facing Selby, the 24-year-old added: “It’s what keeps getting mentioned and I’m not going to turn around and say I’m not interested in the fight. It definitely whets the appetite but I’ve got to get through this one on Saturday.
“We’ll take every fight as it comes but hopefully down the line, that’s what we’re aiming for. Every fight at this level is a big fight. There are no easy fights so I’ve got to be at my beston Saturday.
“Camp has gone well. Joel is not an easy opponent so I’ve got that fear factor back in training. It’s made me train harder. If I want to progress to world titles, then I’ve got to win on Saturday.”
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