African Boxers

J

Julius_Caesar

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Watched a fight last weekend of this Boxer called Hassan Mkakinyo (from Tanzania) 12 - 2 vs a British boxer called Sam Eggington 23 - 4. Hassan came in as a huge underdog and shocked many fans:




Over the last few years there have been some decent African boxers that have come on to the scene. Guys like Richard Commey and Isaac Dogboe. I think Africa has a lot of potential and natural talent but lack the right training, facilities and promotion. There is a hunger out there that could develop some exceptional boxers and any smart promoter should invest into them. Its good for the growth of the sport. Just after Hassans win a load of videos came out of people from Tanzania excited for him because they don't have many athletes from their country so its much more appreciated. Kinda like when Pacquiao came on to the scene and brought in a load of Filipino fans.
 
Well you could count Anthony Joshua as an African fighter because of his Nigerian heritage and he's doing pretty well of late. Joshua Buatsi is also doing pretty well as a british LHW but he was born in Ghana. Lawrence Okolie another british fighter at CW has Nigerian parents as well.

I agree with you though that there could be a lot of talent out there in Africa waiting to be developed.
 
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Zolani Tete's the latest example of a very talented African fighter to kind of come out of nowhere. There's some pretty good talent down there in the domestic scenes, you just have to find it and they need to show it on a bigger stage to get some limelight. Ghana and South Africa have had some good talent come out of those countries lately. Kassim Ouma was famously a child soldier in Uganda before getting the hell out of there and becoming an accomplished fighter.
 
Well you could count Anthony Joshua as an African fighter because of his Nigerian heritage and he's doing pretty well of late. Joshua Buatsi is also doing pretty well as a british LHW but he was born in Ghana. Lawrence Okolie another british fighter at CW has Nigerian parents as well.

I agree with you though that there could be a lot of talent out there in Africa waiting to be developed.
Might as well count every black fighter because they all have African heritage
 
Might as well count every black fighter because they all have African heritage

Well someone pointed out the fucking truth real quick in this discussion.

What about that African HW dude, Deontay Wilder?
 
Might as well count every black fighter because they all have African heritage
You could say that but how do you deal with mixed race? Many African Americans have a bit of white blood in them due to racial interbreeding (the average African American has 24% European genetic make up in them). And how long have they or their ancestors been away from Africa? 1 generation like Anthony Joshua or 10 generations? If we go back far enough then we are all African apparently.....
 
Africa has historically produced a fair amount of talented fighters. Dick Tiger, Azumah Nelson, Vuyani Bungu, Brian Mitchell, Ike Quartey, Sumbu Kalambay and many others were great fighters. Ghana and South Africa are some of the best boxing nations on the planet. I think the problem is that they tend to stick to Africa so they don't really get the credit they deserve, nor the opportunities, in the western world.
 
You could say that but how do you deal with mixed race? Many African Americans have a bit of white blood in them due to racial interbreeding (the average African American has 24% European genetic make up in them). And how long have they or their ancestors been away from Africa? 1 generation like Anthony Joshua or 10 generations? If we go back far enough then we are all African apparently.....
Well aj is more mixed than a lot of African Americans. I think if he got a DNA test it would show he's 15-30% European as well
 
Africa has historically produced a fair amount of talented fighters. Dick Tiger, Azumah Nelson, Vuyani Bungu, Brian Mitchell, Ike Quartey, Sumbu Kalambay and many others were great fighters. Ghana and South Africa are some of the best boxing nations on the planet. I think the problem is that they tend to stick to Africa so they don't really get the credit they deserve, nor the opportunities, in the western world.

This is what I was thinking. If anything there has been something of a dearth of African talent in recent years, particularly from Ghana. Dogboe is a step in the right direction, though.
 
Well aj is more mixed than a lot of African Americans. I think if he got a DNA test it would show he's 15-30% European as well
Why would AJ have a mixed heritage, both his parents are ethnically Nigerian he's most likely 100% African.
 
Watched a fight last weekend of this Boxer called Hassan Mkakinyo (from Tanzania) 12 - 2 vs a British boxer called Sam Eggington 23 - 4. Hassan came in as a huge underdog and shocked many fans:




Over the last few years there have been some decent African boxers that have come on to the scene. Guys like Richard Commey and Isaac Dogboe. I think Africa has a lot of potential and natural talent but lack the right training, facilities and promotion. There is a hunger out there that could develop some exceptional boxers and any smart promoter should invest into them. Its good for the growth of the sport. Just after Hassans win a load of videos came out of people from Tanzania excited for him because they don't have many athletes from their country so its much more appreciated. Kinda like when Pacquiao came on to the scene and brought in a load of Filipino fans.

Couldve made some money on that fight.
 
Why would AJ have a mixed heritage, both his parents are ethnically Nigerian he's most likely 100% African.
His Dad is half Nigerian half Irish and mum full Nigerian I think so 75% Nigerian.
 
This thread does not include African American boxers or African British boxers. Specifically fighters from Subsahara Africa.
 
His Dad is half Nigerian half Irish and mum full Nigerian I think so 75% Nigerian.
Well I stand corrected. Learn something every day. I assumed his dad was pure Nigerian since that's where he resides.
 
There's a neighbourhood of Accra, Ghana, called Bokum which has produced some great boxers like Azumah Nelson (ATG in my opinion), Ike Quartey and Joshua Clottey.

It's interesting that such a small area could produce so many. It shows how the culture and view of it being a career can lead to so much success.

Vice TV (yeah I know) did a good documentary on it.

 
This thread does not include African American boxers or African British boxers. Specifically fighters from Subsahara Africa.
Not to mention the afro Latinos, they have African heritage as well, although many of them like to shy away from it
 
Ghana and South Africa are some of the best boxing nations on the planet. I think the problem is that they tend to stick to Africa so they don't really get the credit they deserve, nor the opportunities, in the western world.
People used to tell me West Africans are more athletic than other parts of Africa but not always true. South Africa, central and eastern have some good boxers. I think Ghana and South Africa push for boxing more whilst certain other countries don't have the opportunity.

I'm interested on knowing the little differences between East Africans and west Africans in regards to boxing. West Africans tend to be more muscular and explosive (good sprinters) whilst east africans tend to be leaner, long and great long distance runners. But with boxing there are so many different types of things you need to be good at. Its not just about explosiveness or stamina. There's so much more to it. Wish I could get several good boxing trainers and send them to different parts of Africa to train up some amateurs and have them fight each other. Be interested on seeing who comes out on top. Would be a good idea for a tv show but doubt it would ever happen.
 
This thread does not include African American boxers or African British boxers. Specifically fighters from Subsahara Africa.
Well how about Zolani Tete? Soon to be fighting in the WBSS Bantamweight tournament. He'll be in with the likes of Inoue and Burnett so we should get to see how good he really is.

 
This is what I was thinking. If anything there has been something of a dearth of African talent in recent years, particularly from Ghana. Dogboe is a step in the right direction, though.
there was Agbeko a while back, who dissapointed compared to what I thought he could have been, but was still a pretty good fighter. Dogboe and Tete are both pretty talented, and the UK and France has some African guys who seem to be talented.
 
There's a neighbourhood of Accra, Ghana, called Bokum which has produced some great boxers like Azumah Nelson (ATG in my opinion), Ike Quartey and Joshua Clottey.

It's interesting that such a small area could produce so many. It shows how the culture and view of it being a career can lead to so much success.

Vice TV (yeah I know) did a good documentary on it.



Azumah Nelson was the first fighter I thought of when I saw this thread. ATG imo as well
 
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