Like most 3rd world countries, Nigerian boxers lack the advanced infrastructure of amateur boxing systems that most industrialized nations have had for many decades and lack the high-powered promoters of the professional ranks that countries like the UK and US have.
Anthony Oluwafemi Olaseni Joshua was born on 15 October 1989 in Watford, Hertfordshire, the son of Yeta and Robert Joshua. His mother is Nigerian, while his father is British with Irish and Nigerian ancestry. Joshua's specific Nigerian background can be traced back to the Yoruba people. His cousin, Ben Lleyemi, is also a professional boxer. The pair made their professional debuts together in 2013.
Joshua spent some of his early years in Nigeria as a boarding school student. Following his parents' divorce when he was 12, he returned to the UK halfway through Year Seven to join Kings Langley Secondary School. Growing up on the Meriden Estate in Garston, Hertfordshire, he was called "Femi" by his friends and former teachers, due to his middle name, Oluwafemi. He excelled at football and athletics and broke his school's Year Nine 100 m record with a time of 11.6 seconds
If AJ hadnt returned to the UK at an early age, we might never have heard of him. Or he might have ended up a soccer player like Ajagba almost did.
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Excuses are for little girls, this is the fighting game you don't need to go into depth with excuses, some people/nations can fight and have strong discipline/will power and others cannot. Poverty actually helps men become the best boxers, all the best ever boxers came from poverty.
The entire continent of Africa 55 countries and BILLIONS of people completely suck at boxing
Ukraine is a very poor country in the middle of a war with a far smaller population and have no high powered promoters/ hardly any pro boxing shows- yet you don't see them making any excuses! they just produce top talent after top talent. Hell even Vladyslav Sirenko has gone to Africa to train there for the facilities there. Joe Calzaghe trained out of a fornicating shed the majority of his career.
Dick Tiger didn't make no excuses when he became a great. If he could do it then it shows it's possible, but unfortunately it's been a hell of a long time since him and he stands alone as a one off.
Many Nigerians move to the UK or USA to train... and guess what THEY STILL FAIL. The USA is home to boxers who have moved there from all other the world , yet some nations boxers are doing well others are not.. there is trends.
Who cares about descent, Joshua is British. Ireland are far more of a fighting nation than Nigeria despite only having a tiny population if you wanna desperately beg fighters. Pretty embarrassing to be claiming him.
Joshua would have ended up in prison had in not been for Rob Mcracken probably. If he was good enough to be a football player believe me he would have been a football player.
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 06 Jan 2019, 20:06
by Best Coast
Skalamanga wrote: ↑05 Jan 2019, 22:30
Ukraine is a very poor country in the middle of a war with a far smaller population and have no high powered promoters/ hardly any pro boxing shows- yet you don't see them making any excuses! they just produce top talent after top talent. Hell even Vladyslav Sirenko has gone to Africa to train there for the facilities there.
This is one of the several valid points you make. It's no coincidence that 5 of the top 7 Ukrainian boxers are based in the US (Loma, Gvozdyk, Derevyanchenko, Postol, etc). They come here not primarily for the facilities but for the world-class trainers and superior sparring. http://boxrec.com/en/ratings?Anv%5Bcoun ... 5D=a&r_go=
Skalamanga wrote: ↑05 Jan 2019, 22:30Many Nigerians move to the UK or USA to train... and guess what THEY STILL FAIL. The USA is home to boxers who have moved there from all other the world , yet some nations boxers are doing well others are not.. there is trends.
Ajagba's future HOF trainer Ronnie Shields says Efe has the best work ethic of anyone since Evander Holyfield (a former Shields fighter). To lump him in with previous Nigerians who lacked his discipline is just stereotyping.
Skalamanga wrote: ↑05 Jan 2019, 22:30Joshua would have ended up in prison had in not been for Rob Mcracken probably.
Thanks for confirming my points. World-class trainers like McCracken and Shields are not available in Nigeria.
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 07 Jan 2019, 08:38
by TheGingerBomber
Trump supporters
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 07 Jan 2019, 08:54
by candyslim
If the greatest problem facing Nigeria is the lack of success of their professional boxers relative to total population, then I'd say they are doing a hell of a lot better we are
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 07 Jan 2019, 10:13
by Skalamanga
candyslim wrote: ↑07 Jan 2019, 08:54
If the greatest problem facing Nigeria is the lack of success of their professional boxers relative to total population, then I'd say they are doing a hell of a lot better we are
Nigeria have only had TWO world champions EVER
Even tiny Belarus have two current world champions at the moment!
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 07 Jan 2019, 10:23
by candyslim
I'm not arguing but who really cares? Aussies aren't great at soccer, we're sh1t at basketball, Italy don't pull up any trees playing Rugby Union. it is what it is ... and none the worse for it.
Skalamanga wrote: ↑05 Jan 2019, 22:30
Ukraine is a very poor country in the middle of a war with a far smaller population and have no high powered promoters/ hardly any pro boxing shows- yet you don't see them making any excuses! they just produce top talent after top talent. Hell even Vladyslav Sirenko has gone to Africa to train there for the facilities there.
This is one of the several valid points you make. It's no coincidence that 5 of the top 7 Ukrainian boxers are based in the US (Loma, Gvozdyk, Derevyanchenko, Postol, etc). They come here not primarily for the facilities but for the world-class trainers and superior sparring. http://boxrec.com/en/ratings?Anv%5Bcoun ... 5D=a&r_go=
Skalamanga wrote: ↑05 Jan 2019, 22:30Many Nigerians move to the UK or USA to train... and guess what THEY STILL FAIL. The USA is home to boxers who have moved there from all other the world , yet some nations boxers are doing well others are not.. there is trends.
Ajagba's future HOF trainer Ronnie Shields says Efe has the best work ethic of anyone since Evander Holyfield (a former Shields fighter). To lump him in with previous Nigerians who lacked his discipline is just stereotyping.
Skalamanga wrote: ↑05 Jan 2019, 22:30Joshua would have ended up in prison had in not been for Rob Mcracken probably.
Thanks for confirming my points. World-class trainers like McCracken and Shields are not available in Nigeria.
Why is Vlad Sirenko going over to Africa for training then. A top fighter will be a top fighter regardless of who his trainer is, the trainer is important, but the individual is far more important. Top fighters/ true fighting men don't make excuses, Dick Tiger won't have made any excuses - and he's a total one off.
I remember Freddie Roach and fans hyping up Wale Omotoso and he just turned out to be useless
Olusegun, Ochieng, Ekundayo, Olubamiwo, etc etc there's been plenty of Nigerian fighters in the UK
Durudola, Kayode,Omotoso etc there's been loads of Nigerians trained in the USA.
If you just look at active and inactive heavyweight on boxrec who were Nigerian.., half of their locations are USA. There's been many Ajagba types before and they all failed.
I see Ajagba as a future David Izon http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/5010
If I'm wrong then fair play to him, but all I'm saying is he'll be a massive exception.
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 07 Jan 2019, 10:26
by Skalamanga
candyslim wrote: ↑07 Jan 2019, 10:23
I'm not arguing but who really cares? Aussies aren't great at soccer, we're sh1t at basketball, Italy don't pull up any trees playing Rugby Union. it is what it is ... and none the worse for it.
Yeah, but you only have a tiny population compared to Nigeria. You are good at some sports, but Nigeria aren't good at anything.
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 07 Jan 2019, 10:41
by candyslim
It's not the end of the world is it? They produce some fine footballers, in the past their national team has been first class despite a lack of infrastructure. They have had boxers like Ike Ibeabuchi and Samuel Peter, admittedly not as many as one might expect, and they can be proud of their man Joshua, even if they can't take all of the credit.
At the end of the day it's just sport, nothing to really fret about given other problems for West Africans to concern themselves with.
Skalamanga wrote: ↑05 Jan 2019, 22:30
Ukraine is a very poor country in the middle of a war with a far smaller population and have no high powered promoters/ hardly any pro boxing shows- yet you don't see them making any excuses! they just produce top talent after top talent. Hell even Vladyslav Sirenko has gone to Africa to train there for the facilities there.
This is one of the several valid points you make. It's no coincidence that 5 of the top 7 Ukrainian boxers are based in the US (Loma, Gvozdyk, Derevyanchenko, Postol, etc). They come here not primarily for the facilities but for the world-class trainers and superior sparring. http://boxrec.com/en/ratings?Anv%5Bcoun ... 5D=a&r_go=
Skalamanga wrote: ↑05 Jan 2019, 22:30Many Nigerians move to the UK or USA to train... and guess what THEY STILL FAIL. The USA is home to boxers who have moved there from all other the world , yet some nations boxers are doing well others are not.. there is trends.
Ajagba's future HOF trainer Ronnie Shields says Efe has the best work ethic of anyone since Evander Holyfield (a former Shields fighter). To lump him in with previous Nigerians who lacked his discipline is just stereotyping.
Skalamanga wrote: ↑05 Jan 2019, 22:30Joshua would have ended up in prison had in not been for Rob Mcracken probably.
Thanks for confirming my points. World-class trainers like McCracken and Shields are not available in Nigeria.
Why is Vlad Sirenko going over to Africa for training then. A top fighter will be a top fighter regardless of who his trainer is, the trainer is important, but the individual is far more important. Top fighters/ true fighting men don't make excuses, Dick Tiger won't have made any excuses - and he's a total one off.
I remember Freddie Roach and fans hyping up Wale Omotoso and he just turned out to be useless
Olusegun, Ochieng, Ekundayo, Olubamiwo, etc etc there's been plenty of Nigerian fighters in the UK
Durudola, Kayode,Omotoso etc there's been loads of Nigerians trained in the USA.
If you just look at active and inactive heavyweight on boxrec who were Nigerian.., half of their locations are USA. There's been many Ajagba types before and they all failed.
I see Ajagba as a future David Izon http://boxrec.com/en/boxer/5010
If I'm wrong then fair play to him, but all I'm saying is he'll be a massive exception.
I believe Ajagba will be better than Izon. I think he will be closer to Ike Ibeabuchi, who could have eventually been a world champ if he hadnt been such a psycho head case!!
Time will tell. We've both made our predictions and we'll just have to see how things play out!!
Opponent to be named. Performing on the undercard of Porter vs Ugas, I'm sure his opponent will be better than Santino Turnbow. I'm hoping it's a good step up for Ajagba. He's young and needs rounds.
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 18 Jan 2019, 00:03
by JOEY DAWEJKO
Avery Gibson
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 18 Jan 2019, 00:30
by tiny_acres
JOEY DAWEJKO wrote: ↑18 Jan 2019, 00:03
Avery Gibson
Joey do you have any desire to face Ajagba?
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 18 Jan 2019, 11:09
by oogiebe
JOEY DAWEJKO wrote: ↑18 Jan 2019, 00:03
Avery Gibson
Avery Gibson is a good step up at this point in Efe's career. Gibson's been in the ring with quite a few 'notables.' Now I hope he fights six times this year with a step up in each. That will set him up real nice for 2020, if he passes all his tests. Gibson should give him rounds as he's never been stopped, which he needs badly IMHO. Also,we can somewhat comp Efe to q nice list of other HW's including Teslenko. Thanks Joey! Hope to see you in the ring soon!
Efe Ajagba
Posted: 18 Jan 2019, 17:21
by oogiebe
Efe's fight on March 9 will be televised. I still haven't seen anything on his opponent other than this thread.
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 18 Jan 2019, 17:24
by jamamb
gibsons a pretty good journeyman type for a prospect, its an opponent like rodney hernandez, so not ambitious matchmaking but the type of fight thats worth having early on
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 18 Jan 2019, 17:27
by oogiebe
jamamb wrote: ↑18 Jan 2019, 17:24
gibsons a pretty good journeyman type for a prospect, its an opponent like rodney hernandez, so not ambitious matchmaking but the type of fight thats worth having early on
Agreed. I'm stoked it's televised. In case you haven't noticed, I'm a fan!
funso banjo baby wrote: ↑18 Dec 2018, 12:09
his opposition is obviously rubbish at this stage.
he looks quite upright and will probably be a sub-Charles martin type
I agree, he's very slow and green and has faced the worst opposition possible.
Funny how his Daddy Ivan Dychko - who whooped Ajagba at the Olympics and had amateur career Ajagba could only dream of - consistently medalling at every major tournament - is flying under the radar, but Ajagba is the Great Black Hope.
Here you go! Daddy going Bye-bye...
To be fair Dychko he was in the lead and took a bomb from the best super heavyweight in the world. No shame taking silver at the world amateur championship.
Re: Efe Ajagba's big RIGHT bomb
Posted: 18 Jan 2019, 19:41
by oogiebe
Pound: I was only trying to get a rise out of the poster. Dychko better start fighting before his time runs out, btw.
