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| by: Wasiu Sodeinde
In the early eighties and late part of the nineties, their names ring bell in nearly all the households in Nigeria and some Commonwealth nations. These great men who once brought fame to the country through their legendary performances in the boxing rings suddenly disappear from the limelight.
Correspondent, Wasiu Sodeinde by chance stumbled on the name of Biliaminu Akamo Sanni whose ring name was Billy Famous while doing another story in Saint Louis, Minnesota and the stage was set for an interview with the man who dethroned Obisia Nwakpa on May 28, 1983 to become the Commonwealth Light Welterweight champion.
Billy Famous who was born into the Onisemo family of Lagos State, Nigeria came to the national limelight in 1980 after he knocked out Lawrence Knuckle to become the Nigeria's Lightweight champion at the Indoor Sports Hall of the National Stadium, Lagos. He lost the title barely a year later to Davidson Andeh via a knock-out. In 1982, he gave a shot at the Nigerian Light Welterweight title and was able to pummel Felix Akpan to become the new national champion in that weight category.
He advanced his position in 1983 when in a controversial bout, defeated the reigning Commonwealth Light Welterweight champion, Obisia Nwakpa on points. He went further to prove his critics wrong by knocking out Shaibu Ali to emerge the African Light Welterweight champion in 1984. A re-match between him and Obisia Nwakpa in 1984 ended in his favor as he knocked out Obisia thereby proving that his earlier triumph over the later was not a fluke. He successfully defended his Commonwealth title in 1985 against Zimbabwean, Langton Tinago who lost to him via a Technical Knock-Out. His attempt to climb higher in the World Boxing Control (WBC) Welterweight category was cut short at Madison Square Garden, New York by Dominican boxer, Reyes Antonio Cruz who sent him to the canvass in the first round of the bouts. He however rushed back to Nigeria same year to defend his African Boxing Union (ABU) title against Felix Akpan and won via points. Another loss to Anor Amissah of Ghana on November 28, 1986 in Accra, Ghana was his last at the international scene and nothing much has been heard of him since then until he spoke with me from his base in New York City. Wasiu: Nothing has been heard of you since you lost to Anor Amissah of Ghana in a non title fight in 1986 in Accra, Ghana, why did you just disappear from the public view? FAMOUS: I didn't just disappear from the public view, I have been living in New York since 1987. Nobody cared to ask what I have been doing and you know Nigerians do not appreciate their heroes, that is why I try to mind my own business. I don't think anybody cares about you as long as they are not benefiting anything from you. It is the hard lesson I learned. Wasiu: What have you been up to.. are you still presently into boxing? | Wasiu: If may ask this, why did you retire very early from boxing? FAMOUS: If you can recall my last fight in Lagos against Felix Akpan, I took the fight for granted and a stray punch caught me on my right eye. It developed to cataract and I had to travel to Kano in the northern part of Nigeria for eye surgery. The surgery was badly done and I nearly lost my right eye. When I came to US. I had to see eyes specialists who advised that I should quit boxing if I don't want to go blind ...I left boxing based on medical advice. Wasiu: One thing I observed is that with the exception of Samuel Peters the former world heavyweight champion, most of the Nigerian boxers like you that came to US in search of greener pastures never fared well. Is there any reason behind this? Famous: Well, things were very difficult in our days...and I don't agree with you that most of us did not do well. I was ranked number 7 by the WBC in the light welterweight category before I left boxing. Joe Lasisi was a contender for the world lightweight title and Jerry Okorodudu did well too, so was Kid Akeem Anifowoshe before his last fight against Quiroga ended his boxing career. But the common problem we had then was that, there were too many pressures from Nigeria. Speaking for myself, I remember that while fighting here, I had to personally pay my manager back in Nigeria with the money I made here, whereas it was the opposite with my US manager who gave me free accommodation and helped me with lots of things, because he saw the potentials in me. My manager in Nigeria and many people in NBB of C just were only interested in their purses and when I had injury, I was left on my own to foot the medical bills. Wasiu: Was there no insurance to cover your medical expenses? Famous: Haba! Mr Sodeinde, have you forgotten that we are talking about the fights in Nigeria? If you fight in Nigeria, you are on your own. That is what happened, there is nothing called insurance coverage in Nigeria when you are in the ring. I don't know if the situation has changed. Wasiu: Still talking about some Nigerian boxers that came to US for the big dream, don't you think some of the boxers that came after you guys were self-destructive? I am asking this based on what happened to promising boxers like Ike Ibeabuchi who is serving jail time in US for attempted rape and Vincent Ekeoba who was stabbed to death in Las Vegas during a fight over a girlfriend in 2005. Famous: It is unfortunate that promising world heavyweight contender like Ibeabuchi had that problem with the law, it is part of what I was talking about. You never know what stress the boy went through before he went too far. Boxing is a game of politics and you need good managers who understand counseling and knows how to play the game. We came from a place where too much is being expected from us. All those pressures and stresses can lead you to commit crime if you are not self-disciplined and that is not to say that boxers are to be excused from their bad behaviors, but boxers are also human beings too. Wasiu: What would you say about the tragic death of Kid Akeem Anifowose who against medical advice went back to boxing in Nigeria after suffering blood cloth to his brain during his last fight against Robert Quiroga of USA at Hemis Fair Arena, San Antonio, Texas, United States in 1991? Wasiu: Are you saying 'No' to my question then? | ||||||||||||||||||
FAMOUS: I am no longer competing in boxing, but I work out to stay fit. Presently, I work for the North East Brooklyn Housing in the city of New York. Wasiu: I was surprised that you are no longer into the sport that brought you fame and honors. One would have thought that you would be into boxing management or coaching like most of your counterparts in Nigeria like Obisia Nwakpa and Jerry Okorodudu. FAMOUS: Actually, I have plans to go into boxing management in future, but I will like to do that when I am able to use my money to sponsor boxers that I can nurture to stardom. I understand Obisia is working as a coach at Rowe Park, in Lagos, Nigeria now. I appreciate what he is doing, when the time comes, I will contact people like him and I am sure most of his boys, I can assist when the time comes. Wasiu: Are you in contact with either the Nigeria Amateur Boxing Association (NABA) or Nigeria Boxing Board of Control at all? FAMOUS: No.. I have not talked to anybody in NABA or NBB of C for a long time now because of some personal reasons. Wasiu: Would you be willing to tell us why you are not in touch with the bodies that appear to have helped your career as a boxer? FAMOUS: There are lots of things that happened when I was a boxer that I did not appreciate. I was already a boxer before NABA or NBB of C spotted me. I started boxing at Isheri, Lagos in those days and I was very good at it. Talking about NBB of C.. I hate to say this, there were lots of bad people in that board in those days that cared less about the boxers' welfare except what they will benefit from the boxer. These people put too much pressures on me when I had injury in the boxing ring during my last fight in Nigeria. They even went to the extreme by sending messages to London that I should be stripped of my Commonwealth title. You can understand the reason why I am not willing to talk to them now. Wasiu: But there are different people managing the bodies now... Famous: You are a Nigerian like me, you know that things haven't changed a bit from my days, rather it is getting worse. In my fighting days, everybody wants to grab whatever they can from you and the moment you don't have anything, they will all be against you. Look, I have been around here for a long time, except you (Wasiu) nobody even cared to contact me... I was a Commonwealth champion for God sake and do you think I don't deserve some recognition? Wasiu: Well.. it seems Nigeria is getting better now.. Look at the likes of Samson Siasia and Daniel Amokachie, they are being appreciated in some ways, at least, they are working as coaches in Nigeria and also helping upcoming soccer players.. In your case, if you are to be contacted today by lets say NABA or NBB of C to help handle younger Nigerian boxers, would you be willing to offer your assistance? Famous: That is a very testing question.. I like to help my country, please don't get me wrong, but the idea of coaching in Nigeria does not appeal to me right now. I am still very young. Look, I am going to be 50 years old in May next year. I am not ever going to be a liability to anybody. Boxing is a big business, so you need dedicated and committed people who know what they are doing to run the business, not someone who is hungry. I am happy today for my life and will be willing to help Nigerian boxers with my own money when the time comes, not going to beg for help or becoming a nuisance in Nigeria. | Famous: I am not saying 'NO' my parents taught me to never say "Never." It a possibility in the future, but I like to take things as they come. Right now, I am happy with what I am doing and as I said earlier, I like to help with my own resources and not to rely on peoples' handouts. Famous: Kid Akeem was a very good boxer, it is unfortunate he died very young, but the NBB of C should not have allowed him to fight in Nigeria because I remember after his injury here in US, WBC would not allow him to go back to the boxing ring because it would have been suicidal for him to fight again. I think probably he went back to boxing because of the money, but the NBB of C should take the largest blame as a regulatory boxing body that ought not to allow him fight. The last time I saw him was when we both sat by the ring side to watch Joe Lasisi's bout against Virgin Hill in 1989. It is sad that we lost chap like Akeem. Wasiu: Are you surprised that the NBB of C or Nigerian government has never come to the aid of Ibeabuchi in his present predicament. Famous: In Nigeria, nobody cares unless you are winning, then everybody will want to associate with you, but the moment the chips are down, nobody cares. Mike Tyson had similar problem with the law, he was paroled, but then he had good Managers . Wasiu: I heard Ibeabuchi too was being considered for parole until he gave an interview to a journalist where he gave the impression that he had not shown any remorse for his action and as a result is being kept in jail because he is considered to be a threat to the society. Famous: Well, it all boils down to poor counseling, because I don't think he is more than a threat to the society than Tyson is. If he has a good Manager who understands him very well, he will never even be in that predicament to begin with. Samuel Peters was able to become the world champion because he was managed by a good manager like Don King who understands the politicking in boxing. Wasiu: Are you implying that Samuel Peters would not have become the world champ if he had not been managed by Don King? Famous: I am not implying anything, Samuel Peter may be good but there are several other boxers out there in his category that are also good. Boxing is like politics, boxing managers know how to play the game and they have a way of avoiding those that can beat their candidates. Boxing is business mixed with politics, you need to be in the game to know how to play it. Wasiu: Is any of your children or sibling into boxing? Famous: No, none of my children is into boxing, but I had a brother who was into boxing, he died some years ago. His ring name was Lookman Famous, he was a good boxer in Nigeria before he died. Wasiu: What is the condition of your right eye now? Billy Famous: My right eye is in good condition, I visit optician every six month for necessary check up. Thanks for asking. | ||||||||||||||||||
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