Few days ago, popular Nigerian boxer, Olufemi Oyeleye had an interview with Onaolapo Olalekan where he revealed a lot about his career and how he has been pushing through over the years. Read and enjoy!
Please let me meet you?
My name is Oluwafemi Oyeleye. I’m the son of the legendary coach Abayomi Ojo Oyeleye.
How did your boxing career start for you?
I started boxing at the age 5, started boxing just to learn how to defend myself. Back then I never saw boxing as a profession but now I have fallen in love with the boxing. I’m a professional boxer!
Can you share with us how you met with popular world-famous boxing champion, Floyd May weather?
I met Floyd Mayweather through a friend very close to him, his name is Jerry. I went to his popular Gym in Los Angeles for a spa one day. The guy saw me sparing and he Likes what he saw. He said Floyd would be interested in signing me. I never took what he said seriously. I was like Floyd Mayweather can sign someone like me! He actually knows Floyd and he got funds and employment immediately. He told Floyd about me saying; hey there’s some Nigerian kid here. He is a very good fighter; I will love you to see him. Floyd invited us to Vegas. The week after, we went to Vegas but Floyd Mayweather was very busy preparing for a fight. His brother’s birthday was also that same day. When we eventually met him that very day, he was very surprised to see me. He said; ‘Oh! I’ve heard a lot about you, Champ. I’II like to see your work. I will come see you soon. A day after we left Los Angeles, Floyd called the guy back himself and apologized to him. I’m sorry bro, I still love to see the boy. I couldn’t believe this. I was like Floyd Mayweather, the richest sports man, a billionaire talking about someone like me. He flew down to Los Angeles. I was even sleeping that day and I got a call from Jerry saying; ‘hey Floyd is here to see you’. I quickly hung off the call. I was like how multi-billionaire Floyd would be waiting for me at the Gym centre. And he called again and said; ‘you on your way? Bro you have to be here now, Floyd is here to see you. When I came, Floyd really loves what he saw and he gave me contract a week after, that’s how I joined MT money making team, presently I am no longer with MT
What are the challenges in this profession ?
The challenges of this sport as a professional, having the right team and right people behind you. Nobody cares about you unless they can get something from you or you have something to offer them, they’re careless about your talent, they only care about their percentage, having a team that really cares about your talent to get you to where you wish yourself to be. It’s very hard; those are the challenges; you will see in a professional boxing career. I having the right team, the right promoter and right managers, entourage, the sky is your limit roads are rough and tough because you’re not only the Good fighter in the world,
What are your regrets?
My regret so far, taking decisions out of emotion and I left my weather promotion. I did not inform Floyd Mayweather before I left TM, because at some point no one didn’t challenge me for over ten months, whenever I called the officer, ” when am I fighting? Don’t worry, just keep training they’re not giving a date or month to fight anyone, Floyd Mayweather really likes me. On the day of my birthday he gave me $5,000USD. There was a time I’m suppose have a fight. Floyd came to watch me fight but my opponent bowed out. Floyd rewarded me with $4,000USD. Floyd really likes it for no reason. Whenever I get to see him, I always go home with some money. When I came to the United States, I was very young. Leaving the money team was one of those irrational decisions I made back then. I still regret it till date. I shouldn’t have left the money team. But I’m grateful for where I am today. I still have good people around me.
Do you have any memorable days you want to share with us?
My memorable days were the day I won the All African Games, despite some people being against me, my Coach and my team did want me to be African champion. That’s my first time representing my country Nigeria. Everybody was saying; this guy is Good. Suddenly my team stopped talking to me and started giving me strategies, they expected me to go there and lose. Glory be to God I didn’t lose! I didn’t need to win championship before I qualify for the All African Games. Most of those coaches has their favourite fighters. They have to stop them to be in the team. This means more than world title to me. When everything is against you and you’re still able to prove yourself to the world how good you’re. That’s huge for me
How do we improve boxing in Nigeria?
Getting rid of the old Coaches, because many of them are corrupt. They have their own favourite fighters whom they force of the team. You know everything here is politics. I don’t know what they get from those fighters, it’s doesn’t matter, even if you beat their boys, you won’t still get the slot. There’s was a time I fought Ogun state boxer Kehinde Atorise. How do you stop someone on the ring and coach stood up and said let the fight continue? I’ve never seen such before because that’s his favourite fighters. The guy used to be the champion of the weight! They don’t do things like. You have ruined someone else’s life. someone that don’t even have solid kits to train they still all this to robbed those innocent guys by stupid old man. The old boxing organization has to be change. I have told my dad all this but he said I should let everything go. If you really want to change something, you’ve to say it exactly the way it. is. We need to remove all those old faces you need to put guys that really wants the best. Someone that wants best for every fighter and every category we need favours. We don’t need someone to favour other people because of what they get from them. Nigerian no longer win medals in international competition’s because they don’t usually pick the right people.
Can you share with us your growing up experience?
My father is from Badagry in Lagos, Mom was born in Lagos but she’s from Ijebu Igbo Ogun state I did not grow up in Lagos I was born in Northern part of Nigeria. Borno state precisely Maiduguri. We Only come to Lagos to celebrate Xmas and New Year. We finally relocated to Lagos in year 2010 when the Boko Haram insurgency was at its peak. We have to run for our dear lives! You Know there’s serious killing going on there in North area. A lot of friends and family lost their souls. May the souls of those that lost their lives rest in peace! I couldn’t take it anymore. I was the first person that left Maiduguri. Even those Army that we called for protections of lives could not help. They didn’t recognize anyone. They were just shooting sporadically, killing civilians because they don’t know who is who. That’s why we moved to Lagos 2010 but my Dad is still the coach of Borno State governments.
What’s your plan after retirement?
I think still have 10 years more in this sport, I’m not even think of retirement for now, I don’t even know what my plans for retirement Lol! But once I retired from the sports of boxing, I want to become a Philanthropist I’ll love to be helping people, then promoting some fighters in the future, however I will love to be of help to all African countries’ fighters and those in Nigeria. I want to put African on the map because we have some good fighters in Africa but they don’t have any opportunity to become Great. I will love to be a manager in the future and promoting African talents
How do you unwind ?
I unwind by playing play station, if I don’t do boxing, I probably would have become a footballer. It’s was my Dad that prevented me because I was only son. For so long, he wanted his son to become a great boxer! I love boxing a lot but if I can switch boxing for anything it’s will be football. I do always watch Premier League and La Liga, and Seria A. I was a very big fan of C. Ronaldo. There is nothing you would tell me about C. Ronaldo that I don’t know. If anybody says something bad about him that would be a big problem between me and that person Lol.
What’s your philosophy in life?
Just be good to be people, don’t be bad person I so much believe in law of Kamal, you can’t treat people bad and you expected to be treat Good.
I’m Christian I believe so much in Jesus
Any advice for upcoming boxers in Nigeria?
My advice for upcoming boxer’s in Nigeria is that; you’ve to work very hard, don’t expect anyone to give you anything. Our national stadium does not have enough equipment to train.
You can’t expect to have everything work. You need to believe in yourself and that’s the only way to get to the top God would be involved.
Where do you see yourself in the next five years to this time?
Then I will have won world titles. My only goals are to win the world titles for myself and my families, and nation. In the next 5 years, I should be going towards that directions. I want to win the world titles.
Who’s your mentor and role model?
That’s my Father. He thought how to be a man and how to stand up and fight. This man doesn’t know how to be defeated. He keeps going, he doesn’t, lay down. Even when I break down, I do always ask myself; champ! you can’t afford to remain broken. When I have fears of winning the big guys in my fight, my father is always there to motivate me. That just the definitions of a man I want to be in life I hope can be half of the man he his thank you.
