Echoes from the Roots Echoes from the Roots
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• AnA Ex-VP’s VP’s TravailsTravails Obama Echoes From ObamaThe Roots Echoes From The Roots • HorrorHorror inin ZimbabweZimbabwe African Interest 2 •Viva Africa• This column will present from a historical perspective, profiles of achievers in different fields of life Pantheon of African Champions This first edition will be on African boxers. African boxers have been winning world championships on the international stage since 1922. This is a tribute to some African boxing champions regarded herein as constituting the continent’s pantheon in the modern era of the sport. It is packaged by Damola Faturoti Dick Tiger Born Richard Ihetu (1929-1971), he was Africa’s first multiple world champion, winning titles in two of the sport’s traditional eight weight classes. An aggressive counter-puncher with a devastating left hook, the 5’ 8" Nigerian boxer’s championship record included the Nigerian national middleweight title, the Commonwealth Middleweight title, the World middleweight title (which he held twice), as well as the world light heavyweight championship. Tiger won the “undisputed” world middleweight title by defeating Gene Fulmer in Ibadan Nigeria in August 1963, lost and then regained the title from Joey Giardello in 1966. Later in the same year he beat Jose Torres of Puerto Rico to win the world light heavyweight championship, which he held until 1968 when he was defeated by Bob Foster. In a boxing career that spanned nearly twenty years (1952-1970), Tiger notched up a total professional record of 81 bouts comprising 61 wins, 17 losses and three draws including 26 knock outs. Among his impressive list of victories were bouts against such outstanding opponents as the aforementioned Gene Fullmer, Joey Giardello and Jose Torres, as well as Italy’s Nino Benvenuti, the American “tragic” hero, Ruben “Hurricane” Carter and Cuban slugger, •Tiger •Nelson Florentino Fernandez. Tiger was honored by the British government with an Order of the British Empire (OBE) in 1963, and twice named fighter of the year by both pugilism successfully defended the title six times before His third fight, which ended in a draw, was against by The Ring magazine (1962 and 1965), and the winning the WBC super featherweight title from Mario Ogli Tettey of Ghana for the West African title. In 1951 Boxing Writers Association of America (BWAA) Martinez in 1988. After four title defenses, Nelson he moved to England in search of boxing’s golden (1962 and 1966). In 1991, twenty years after his unsuccessfully challenged Pernell Whitaker for the fleece. His brawling, pressure style and good body passing, he was posthumously inducted into the combined WBC and International Boxing Federation attack wore many opponents down and made him a International Boxing Hall of Fame (IBHOF) at (IBF) lightweight titles. Undaunted by the loss, he fan favorite. Within six years he would reach the pinnacle Canastota, New York, the first ever African boxer to returned to the super featherweight division and of the featherweight division. In 1955 Bassey won the be so honored. defended his title six more times, including a British Empire title by knocking out and avenging an controversial draw with Australian brawler, Jeff Fenech earlier loss to Billy “Spider” Kelly. A year later the Azumah Nelson on June 28, 1991. In the rematch eight months later, world featherweight championship became vacant Nelson ventured to Australia and knocked out Fenech (B. 1958): The doors of the International Boxing Hall when the titleholder, Sandy Saddler retired. Bassey, in the 8th round in his very own home turf. Azumah of Fame (IBHOF) at Canastota, in upstate New York who had won an earlier elimination bout, was pitched continued to fight for the next seven years, recording a on June 13, 2004 opened its doors to that year’s against Algerian Cherif Hamia in Paris for the title. number of notable successes against the top echelon inductees. Prominent among the honorees to be Bassey survived an early knockdown to overpower of the super featherweight and lightweight divisions. In inducted is Ghana’s Azumah Nelson, regarded by most Hamia in the 10th round and thus became Nigeria’s 1998, he retired and returned home to Ghana a national boxing authorities as one of Africa’s greatest fighters first world champion. He went on to win 4 non-title hero. He had fought all over the world in far flung places ever, and certainly the most outstanding in contemporary bouts including a defeat of former champion and ring including England, Australia, Spain, Mexico and times. Nelson was born in Accra, Ghana in 1958 and legend Willie Pep. However his only successful defense throughout the United States, finishing with a record had an outstanding amateur career before turning of the world title was a third round knock out of hard of 39 wins, 5 losses, and 2 draws including 28 knock professional in 1979 as a featherweight. He gained hitting Mexican sensation Ricardo Moreno in front of out victories. international recognition in 1982 when in only his 14th 20,000 fans in England. Bassey was overthrown by professional fight and as a late substitute, he challenged Hogan (Kid) Bassey American contender Davey Moore who took his title the legendary Mexican world titlist, Salvador Sanchez in Los Angeles in March 1959 and also defeated him in a rematch six months later. At this point Bassey wisely for the World Boxing Council (WBC) title in Madison (1932-1998): Born Okon Bassey Asuquo in Calabar, hung up his boxing gloves and retired. He returned to Square Garden. Though Azumah lost the bid, he greatly Nigeria in 1932, Hogan “Kid” Bassey learnt to fight Nigeria where he became engaged in sports impressed boxing observers with his valiant effort as a youth on the chaotic docks of the country’s capital administration and also coached successive Nigerian against Sanchez. Sure enough, two years later in 1984 city of Lagos, Amazingly his first three professional Olympic boxing teams. His career ended with a record Nelson won the title by defeating another great Latino bouts were 12-round championship fights, the earlier of 74 total fights. He had won 59 of these with 21 fighter, Wilfredo Gomez of Puerto Rico by an 11th round two in 1949 being for the Nigerian national flyweight knock outs, lost 13 and drawn in two. technical knock out. The Ghanaian “Professor” of title which he won and lost respectively to Dick Turpin. African Interest 3 •Mission Statement• Re-Constructing an African Reality Many of society’s major issues today about corruption. They have cannot be effectively appraised without AFRICAN INTEREST Believes responsibilities to also investigate and recourse to their global dimensions that: report cases of corruption with insight and context. How, for example, can into the causes, consequences and As journalists we need to explore public-interest journalists investigate possible remedies. and strengthen the relationship and write comprehensively about arms between journalism and democracy. and drug trades, political corruption, A critical element of a country’s anti- financial fraud, wire fraud or corruption programme primarily Journalism and democracy work best environmental degradation without should be an effective media. And the when news, information and ideas information on these subjects from effectiveness of the media depends on flow freely; when news fairly different parts of the world? How can access to information and freedom of portrays the full range and variety of journalists investigate political fund- expression, as well as a professional life and culture of all communities; raising scandals involving illegal and ethical code of investigative when public deliberation is foreign campaign contributions journalists. encouraged and amplified; and when without on-the-ground reporting in news helps people function as In addition, such issues as private those countries? When a fraudulent political actors and not just as versus public ownership of the media, bank headquartered in one country political consumers. operates in 73 others and controls the need for improved protection of journalists in the face of official billions in deposits, how can it be Journalist should stand apart in danger and media regulation are reported on - or regulated - at the making sound professional judgments critical. The corrupting of the media’s nation-state level? about how to cover communities, but mission through excessive reliance on cannot stand apart in learning about advertisers and sponsors is one of the Too often, most of these kinds of and understanding these major problems in Nigeria and Africa significant but complicated issues are communities. considered too complex or inaccessible in general, where political manipulation determine their outputs. to the public because of media’s The multiplicity and disintegration perceived limitations - expertise, or of the African Society call for new fund to investigate them, especially in AFRICAN INTEREST showcases the techniques for storytelling and the developing world. Meanwhile in best international investigative information-sharing to help African countries, like Nigeria for reporting and seeks to be a model for individual communities define instance, investigative journalists get detailed, well-documented research in themselves singularly and as part of killed, threatened, or imprisoned with the broadest public interest of African the whole set of communities. alarming regularity. Some even lose citizens. their jobs because of their We strongly believe that the presence The perspectives journalists present uncompromising attitude. of an effective networking mechanism can help or hinder progress as people for investigative reporters will lead to struggle to reach sound judgments The problems of inadequate motivation a better-informed populace, as well as about their personal lives and their and deficient work condition strike an an enhanced civil society and greater common well-being. average African journalist on the face. accountability among governments in The case becomes worst when the Africa.