I can never forget the jerry-curl wearing Jerry Okorodudu of the '80s, he brought glamour and class to the boxing world especially in Africa during the 80s so much that those of us who enjoyed the sport back then cannot keep our eyes off this wonderful boxer. However a fight was scheduled to hold between him and the Ilorin-born Joe Lasisi and after the bout, Jerry Okorodudu never regain his popularity as he was nearly killed in the ring enjoy the interview he granted below;

Former African boxing champion, Jeremiah Okorodudu, tells ’TANA AIYEJINA about his running battle with the NSC, his love for music, his ill-fated fight against Joe Lasisi and lots more in this interview

You have had lingering battle with the National Sports Commission over your reinstatement as a staff of the sports body. What is the situation now?

The legal adviser of the sports ministry, Mrs. Chiwendu, told me that the new minister is interested in my case. She said they will prepare some money for me to come to Abuja, so that the minister will put the matter to an end. I am happy and hope that the minister will fulfill his promise because it has not been easy. I don’t have money to pay my children’s school fees. People see me wearing good clothes; it’s by the grace of my friends and family. That is why I am still living. I can’t represent Nigeria and don’t have anything to show for it. I have tried for this country; I have produced lots of boxers, who have won medals for Nigeria at the Olympics and Commonwealth Games. I trained Samuel Peter here (Lagos), David and Emmanuel Izonritie and several others. But today, they look at me with scorn as if I have not done anything for this country. It’s not good for sports development. Government can create an avenue for people who represented the country to work and make money, like sending coaches to zones to breed boxers. That’s a way of empowering us because we are no more active athletes but coaches.

How has your family coped with the breadwinner without a job for several years?

I thank God my wife is working; she is the breadwinner of the family. My children do complain. During celebrations for this year’s Children’s Day, they said they wanted to go to National Theatre, Iganmu. I said, “Kids, I will go to the stadium to see if I can get money for you.” Meanwhile, I asked their mother, “How much do you have?” She said, “N5, 000.” I said, “Please use the money to take the kids to the National Theatre to celebrate like their mates, I will pay back.”

Maybe things would have been better if you had gone to school.

They keep talking about education. It’s not that I didn’t go to school; I attended Technical College Benin City and studied stenography through Samuel Ogbemudia’s scholarship. I know how to type and write shorthand but when last did I type that I would go and start looking for a typing job? The only thing I know now is coaching; I went to America to study boxing. If I die now, they will bring me to the sports hall and say things they don’t know about me, just like it happened to Rashidi Yekini. I just hope the minister gives me back my job so that my family can have something to eat. I will forever remember him if he does that for me.

What effect do you think treating retired sportsmen unfairly will have on the up-and-coming athletes?

It has affected them. I don’t know about other sports but a lot of our boxers have left for other countries to train there and even represent these countries. Who is going to stop them? You cannot stop them because they see the older ones like me. What do we have to show for our hardwork? I went to the Olympics, I did well, in two Commonwealth Games, I won medals, in pre-Olympics, I won a silver and was named African Best Boxer of The Year in 1985 but today, what do I have to show for it? Davidson Andeh was a world champion, who won a gold in world boxing championship for this country as an amateur. He trained me, Charles Nwokolo and a lot of other boxers, but today, he sleeps at the Samuel Ogbemudia Stadium in Benin City. Also in Benin, Roland Omoruyi, my Olympic captain rides okada (motorbike). It was (Lucky) Igbinedion that once took him off the street but the man has left office and Omoruyi has returned to riding okada. There are a lot of us who have nothing to show for what we did for this country. It is not our fault.

Why did you choose boxing ahead of football and athletics?

Boxing was my dream. I watched Mohammed Ali when I was growing up; I read about him and heard stories about him. So I wanted to be like him. Aside Ali, I wanted to be like Fela because I also wanted to go into music. By the time I left school, my dad wanted me to go to the Univeristy of Benin and I said, “Papa, if I go to UNIBEN, I am going to study music.” The man was very annoyed. He said I should pack and go to my mother’s place. That was how he drove me out of his house. I also told my mother, “I want to box, I want people to know me.” My mother encouraged me and took me to the stadium. That was how I started boxing. I also sang in the church and I combined the two. I was the band leader for the then Bendel State team. In 1993, I released my first album, ‘Jerry without gloves.’ I was nominated for FAME Music Awards as Best New Artist of The Year. Daddy Showkey won it but being nominated showed I tried as well. My father came to the launching and he said, “So you still continued with your music?” I said, “Yes papa,” and he replied, “God bless you.”

What was your first experience in the ring like?

I was beaten up by Folorunsho Jacob, a soldier from Ekenwa Barracks in Benin City. He had represented Nigeria before. I fought him, but the man beat me so much that I could not chew meat; all my face was swollen. And my mother said, “It looks like you are going to stop boxing.” I said. “Mama, I will not.” Then Bendel State boxing coach, Isaac Ikhuoria, said, “You have the heart to box.” He gave me a pair of boxing shoes, pants, vest and bandage. For about two weeks I was home, I couldn’t go to school because of the beating. That was how I came into boxing.

How did you come to limelight?

I won silver at the pre-Olympics in 1984 and I was named African Best Boxer of The Year in 1985. I think the turnaround came in 1984 before the Olympics. I was always in the news telling Nigerians that I would win a medal at the Olympics. I won all my fights till the quarter-final when they stole my fight and gave it to Shin Joon-Sup of Korea. The Olympics was my last event at amateur level before I turned professional. My professional days were sweet. I was winning all through till I fought Joe Lasisi and he broke my wrist.

You were the glamour boy of Nigerian boxing in the 1980s.

I just wanted to create a name and style for myself because I wanted to be like Ali, talk like Ali and box like Ali. That time, they used to call me The Urhobo Lip, like they called Ali The Louisville Lip. They also called me Flamboyant Okorodudu. Much thanks to Lagos sports writers; they made me what I am.

How did you cope with the women?

There were a lot of them. If I was doing what I was supposed to do, my children would have been over 20 by now. But I grew up in a Christian home and it didn’t affect me. I have four children today.

Were you able to manage your money properly?

I will give thanks to late Yinka Craig of NTA. He was a good manager. He taught me things I never knew. He encouraged me to build a house in my village. I don’t stay there now, but my extended family does. I pray I build a new house because I have given it to my family.

You stayed in America for several years. Were you ever a victim of racism there?

Yes, when I got married. There was a bar very close to my house, where I wanted to hold the celebration. I invited Christian Okoye, the American football player, Innocent Egbunike and some other of my Nigerian friends. My wife told me, “Honey, black people don’t come here.” I said, “In my country, there is nothing like black or white. We are all the same.” I didn’t know the woman, who owned the place, had called the police. They came and said, “Who is celebrating?” I told them it was me and I showed them my California boxing license and the officer said, “Hey, you are an Olympian.” And when he saw Okoye and Egbunike, he was shocked. He told the woman that we were sportsmen and that he would pay for everything we took. It was less than $500.

Is it true that the use of charms is common in Nigerian boxing?

It is true especially Lagos boxing. When I told people what happened in the ring when I fought Lasisi, nobody believed until they confessed 10 years later through Hunter Clay inside the stadium. He said he took Lasisi to Isale Eko to get some charms before the fight. He said they didn’t want to kill me but they only wanted to bring down my popularity. He said it would happen to me anytime I fought again. But I leave everything to God. I told him, “I have forgiven you; if I don’t, God won’t forgive me. Go and buy me a drink.” But anytime I see Lasisi and try to talk to him, he shuns me. That’s not right. I knocked Ghana’s Joe Allotey out, beat him so much but we were still best of friends before he died. That is how sports should be.

What actually happened in the ring against Lasisi?

I was not seeing Lasisi; everything was wrong in the ring. I wasn’t boxing like I used to. I hit him and my bone cracked in the fourth round. I managed it and fought till the eighth round. In the sixth round, I told Charles Nwokolo, “I am not seeing this guy (Lasisi).” He said I should stop the fight but I felt I could finish him off with a left hook. Coach Samson Aransiola would always forget to give me my mouthpiece and the water he gave me was hot. Everything was wrong and so in the eighth round, I raised up my hands that I could no longer box and my fans was crying. I defeated Virgil Hill in Germany in pre-Olympics but he defeated Lasisi in a world title fight.

When were your best and worst moments?

My best moment was when I had my first daughter. I was just 22 and I went to the Olympics. A lot of NNB players like Henry Nwosu, Stephen Keshi, Sunday Eboigbe were my friends and they sent presents to me. My daughter was a lucky girl because I went to the Olympics, which for me, was a success. My worst was when I lost at the Olympics. If I had won the Olympics, things would have been better than they are now.

Would you encourage your daughters to become boxers?

I have four girls and none of them will box and I mean it. I don’t advise women to go into boxing. I don’t like women boxing.

What is your advice to up-and-coming boxers in Nigeria?

If they want to box, they must ensure the sports council in the state employs them so that if they can no longer fight, they will empower them. They should also go to school so that if they are sidelined, they can fall back on their education.

http://www.punchng.com/sports/lasisi-used-charms-to-win-our-fight-okorodudu/

as if u were free of juju, just that lasisi's own over powered yours...devil's property no de last

Shame on him..theres nothing like juju in sports..
Why didnt the same juju help lasisi when Virgil Hill whooped his a.rse.

Why didnt juju help Samuel Peter against Klitshko.

How come ghanaian boxers were doing better and winning world titles compared to Naija boxers..

Do they have more powerful juju.

Nigerian boxing has a long way to go..
Kudos to Ola Afolabi..he is repping us big time cos he is talented and works very hard in the ring.