Boxing was a total coincidence. I was a wrestler when I left Nigeria. In fact, I left on a wrestling scholarship. Mildred Burke Professional School of Wrestling in the USA gave me a scholarship and I left for America in September 1974. But when I got to USA, I saw the wrestlers, all 6feet 9inches, 400pounds, and here I was, 160pounds. I knew they would simply kill me. So, I went to school and was looking for work one day when I saw a poster of Mohamed Ali on the wall and I went in and saw two guys in boxing bout. So, I told the supervisor I would like to spar with one of them, and he told me to come the following day.
I'd seen Mohamed Ali, Ken Norton, George Foreman and Joe Frazier on TV. I was excited. But it was not as easy; the first guy I fought nearly killed me.
My first pro fight netted me just $400, and I nearly cried because I had promised my mother I was going to send her money to buy a car and do other things! The guy who fought in the main event netted close to $300,000. So, I decided to take up the sport full-time and also to work hard and be very good at it.
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