By Per Ake Persson: 27-year old Dutch jr lightweight Innocent Anyanwu is now 20-0-2 after turning pro in 2005 but is still a rather unknown fighter outside of the Netherlands and Holland where he´s fought all of his pro fights. He´s held the BeNeLux title twice and is Dutch champ.
On February 7 in Amsterdam Innocent takes on Spaniard Sergio Palomo for the vacant EBA jr lightweight title. Their first fight ended in a somewhat controversial tko win in the third round for Innocent when the fight was stopped with Palomo cut..
“It ended quickly, I feel I was ahead on points after two when he was cut and it was stopped. Many felt it was a premature stoppage and I hear Palomo saying he was ahead on points and just warming up when it was stopped. But this time I will shut him up and he won´t be able to say a word after my right hand has landed”, says Innocent.
Innocent´s way to boxing is long, almost as long as his journey from Umubago, Imo State, Nigeria, to Amsterdam. “I was 17 years old and my spirit just refused to accept the situation of myself and my village members in Umubago. We had no electricity, no hospital, no school possibilities and no water within 10 kilometers. I decided to focus, bring out the best in me and to leave the country, I travelled to various continents and ended up in Amsterdam, the Netherlands.
“Once there, I got into boxing and met my trainer and manager Martin Jansen, I won national titles and international contests as an amateur and in 2004 I returned to Nigeria where I won the national title and the Champion of Champions trophy. All in all I went 37-3 as an amateur and in 2005 I was back to the Netherlands and made my pro debut. I am now a Dutch citizen as well. “
Still, it´s been a long road with Dutch boxing not in the best of shape and Innocent was for some time also managed by Belgian Emmanuel Demanet. The two draws on his record both came in Belgium. First in a war against the tough – and much bigger – Eric Nazarian in 06 in Bruges that saw both men floored. “I´m a jr light and took on a welterweight, comments Anyanwu, but I strongly feel I won.
The second came against Agonic Jankothian (a/k/a Hovhannes Zhamkochyan) after a controversial fight. “I was robbed, maintains Innocent, the referee did everything possible to help him. I had two points deducted, then he had a point deducted and then the ref gave him a standing eight count.
“My goals? I want to serve God, I want to win the European title first, then go on to a world title. In Europe we have for instance Vitali Tajbert, WBC interim champ, who I feel I can beat. Also Brit Ricky Burns, who holds the Commonwealth title where I´m one of the challengers. I am since 2009 through a local promoter able to train fulltime but I´m not signed to an exclusive contract to anyone.”
Outside of the ropes Innocent lives with his wife and son Ephraim. Very high on his agenda is the Innocent Foundation. “The Innocent foundation embodies the reasons why my trainer/manager Martin Jansen and I started investing in my boxing career. Through boxing I am not only helping myself, but also others. We strongly believe GOD put me into a strange, contradictive life. First by forcing people to go down in one area -the boxing ring – and then helping others in different areas in their daily lifes. Therefore I regard myself as a warrior of the cross.
The foundation is cooperating with larger supporting bodies like Cordaid in Africa. The European title fight enables me to finalize our first project, a waterpump in my village in Nigeria so my people do not have to walk 10 kilometers to obtain free and clean water. No, its just a matter of time when that is history. The same counts for building a hospital, a school, electricity. I have goals my friend.
Maybe you understand better now why i will not fail. Just too many people are in line of more support and help. They all pray for me. They make me strong. It´s His spirit fullfilling me every time when I enter the ring. Just watch my eyes when I enter the ring. I do not recognize myself afterwards.”
Innocent is described as a hard trainer, a strong, pressure fighter with a good left hook to the body and is best at close range.
“I don´t box, I fight, says Innocent, I fight like I did my whole life and my boxing style reflects my physical and mental strength. The noble art is just not me.
Check out the links below for a further update on Innocent and the Innocent Foundation.
www.beinnocent.com
www.iaminnocent.org