While Americans celebrated Rome’ 60 Olympics light heavyweight boxing champion, Cassius[Marcellus] Clay, Peter Onyejiaka was largely unknown even in Nigeria. The only world champion known to compatriots was Hogan’Kid’ Bassey who emerged in 1957, in far away Paris, France as King of the Featherweight.
The year 1964 meant a lot to Cassius Clay. That was when he became world heavyweight champion after knocking out Sonny Liston in the sixth round. The Olympic golden boy had turned professional in 1960 and moved up to a higher division.
Onyejiaka was not a champion but 1964 was the year of his first professional fight after quitting amateur ranks. And in the bout , best friend, Eddie Murphy, was the foe. Friendship did not matter as the former won his first pro duel.
“There is no friend in boxing”, Onyejiaka said after his victory. Popularity followed because he was the journalist’s delight. The Lagos press found a name for the boxer: ‘Lagos Lip’. Onyejiaka was not only a sweet talker, he was a great entertainer. Many likened him to Mohammed Ali.
Cassius Clay had become Mohammed Ali after converting to Islam and was more famous for refusing military draft in 1967. Stripped of the world title, he went to the United States Supreme Court and got favourable judgment.
By the time Ali returned to the ring in 1971, he lost to Joe Frazier. Three years later, he floored Frazier and went ahead to snatch the belt from George Foreman in Kinshasa, Congo Democratic Republic in what became known as ‘Rumble in the Jungle’.
The boxing name, Clay, did not disappear completely. An Ivorian lady made sure of that. Fighting in Abidjan to the delight of the crowd, Onyejiaka, suddenly became Clay. A ringside fan was so excited that she called him ‘Mama Clay’ and was all over the Nigerian like be on honey. The name stuck. Not many remember the name Peter Onyejiaka of Ogbaku, Imo State.
Ali lost his crown to Leon Spinks in February 1978 but fought back to the top later in the year to become the first to win the Heavyweight boxing title three times. And with him boxing became as entertaining as music. Fist fighting became a good dance.
‘I am the greatest’, Ali would say to the crowd. He could sting like a bee and dance like a butterfly.’ Promoters were happy and making good money. Phrases came with subsequent bouts. His fight in the Philipines became ‘Thriller in Manila’.
Mama Clay could only match Mohammed Ali in entertainment. He was never able to climb to the top globally. The man remained a local champion in a lesser category. The Nigerian Clay could not win the African title. He only talked the talk.
Mama Clay did not make it to the Olympics. The first Nigerian boxers to take part in the Games were the quartet of Joseph Okezie, Karimu Young, Joe Kalu and Olufemi Moseley who graced Rome’60. They were Clay’s contemporaries alongside Victor Paul and Stephen Joe.
It took Nigeria another four years to win a medal. That historic first Olympic medal, a bronze, was won by Nojeem Maiyegun at Tokyo’ 64. Isaac Ikhuoria got the first silver in 1972 and till date, the country has not won an Olympic boxing gold.
Brought to limelight by coach Olu Moses of Costain Boxing club, Lagos, Mama Clay had some memorable fights. In 1963, as an amateur, he beat Bassey Ukem. One tough opponent was Johnson Eziokwu, better known as ‘Johnny Fly.’ Clay outpunched him in 1972.
Those were the good times of Nigerian boxing, the 1950s to the 1970s,when world champions came from our shores. From Kid Bassey in 1957 to Dick Tiger[Richard Ihetu] in 1962 and again in 1965 up to amateur champion, Davidson Andeh, 1970, whose elder brother , Tony, picked a medal at the Kingston’66 Commonwealth Games.
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Boxers then had funny names. Speedy Twitch. Cyclone Barth. Dick Turpin. Tommy West. Royal George of Kano. John Bull of Calabar. Sea Never Dry of Enugu. Golden Boy of Ikot Ekpene. Bob Wilson. Sammy Idowu Langford. Eddie Paterson. Abraham ‘Assassin’ Tonica. Billy Savage. Billy Famous. Lat Darasin. Joe Louis Onwuma.
Hogan Bassey was not the only Kid. We had Kid Ilori, Kid Richards and Young Ali Kid, whose real name was Demola Ali. This particular Ali later abandoned boxing and became national Table Tennis Champion. His father had turned the amateur to a punching bag when he saw friends carrying his son shoulder high for winning a fight in Campos Square.
There was Suleman Small Montana who was lightweight champion before crossing over to soccer where he won the Challenge Cup with Pan Bank, Lagos in 1952. Love Mouka, remains the only known deaf and dumb boxer.
Mama Clay is lucky. He did not take all the punches. Cassius Clay [Mohammed Ali] suffered Parkinson’s disease. Johnny Fly and Nojeem Maiyegun became blind. Another Clay, came after Mama Clay. He bore Hunter Clay.
“Boxing is entertainment. Tomorrow is another day. You don’t take all punches. You dodge, bob, block, weave. Not that a punch won’t touch you, you entertain with foot work. It is not a do or die affair”, Mama Clay told me almost two decades after hanging his gloves.