Career
Afolabi turned pro at Light-Heavyweight in California in 2002. In 2003 he was outpointed by Allan Green and went up a division to cruiserweight. He beat a small heavyweight clubfighter in Willie Chapman and added James Walton and Michael Simms to his victims. He also knocked out former Cruiserweight Champ Orlin Norris.
The win that put him into the limelight came over undefeated highly-touted Golden Gloves champion Eric Fields whom he KO'ed in 2008. He was immediately signed to a promotional contract with Duva Boxing. Afolabi subsqequently made his national television debut on ESPN's Friday Night Fights, winning a unanimous decision over DeLeon Tinsley.
In March 2009 he scored another upset KO by defeating former WBO World Cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli to win the Interim WBO cruiserweight title in Manchester, England.
His good run ended when he lost a very close decision against Marco Huck in Germany.
He rebounded with a KO1 over former European champion Terry Dunstan.
Read more about this topic: Ola Afolabi
Famous quotes containing the word career:
“He was at a starting point which makes many a man’s career a fine subject for betting, if there were any gentlemen given to that amusement who could appreciate the complicated probabilities of an arduous purpose, with all the possible thwartings and furtherings of circumstance, all the niceties of inward balance, by which a man swings and makes his point or else is carried headlong.”
—George Eliot [Mary Ann (or Marian)
“From a hasty glance through the various tests I figure it out that I would be classified in Group B, indicating “Low Average Ability,” reserved usually for those just learning to speak the English Language and preparing for a career of holding a spike while another man hits it.”
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“A black boxer’s career is the perfect metaphor for the career of a black male. Every day is like being in the gym, sparring with impersonal opponents as one faces the rudeness and hostility that a black male must confront in the United States, where he is the object of both fear and fascination.”
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