‘Poverty nearly made me lose focus’ – World boxing champ, Scorpion reveals

The young Nigerian, who just became the new World Boxing Federation (WBF) International Super Featherweight Champion, Ridwan Oyekola Scorpion, has revealed that his rise to prominence in the boxing profession was tortuous while describing it as an adventure that turned around his life for the better.

While urging Nigerian youths to work hard and never allow poverty to make them lose focus, Ridwan Scorpion disclosed that he suffered many rejections, disappointments, shame in life before he was lucky to be picked in the city of Ibadan, the capital city of Oyo State while working as an Okada rider by his promoter and manager, Mr Sola Ayodele.

Speaking further, he also stated that he once considered abandoning the boxing profession because of the hardship he faced at the amateur level, disclosing that he had to beg to survive.

According to him, “ I suffered terribly as an amateur. You know, it was very difficult to survive. But then, I was good enough and I easily qualified to represent Oyo State at different annual festivals and at championships.

“In those days, you must go to work. Nobody cared how you survived. Most of the times, I would trek from Total Garden to the Lekan Salami Stadium at Adamasingba to resume duties at the Sports Council. If you do not go to work, you would be paid half of your monthly stipend. Most of the times, I would beg people to buy food for me”.

Reacting to President Muhammadu Buhari’s congratulatory message when he won his boxing bout, Scorpion said he was very delighted and happy, adding  that “such recognitions would spur him to achieve more successes in life..

The champion used the occasion to disclose that his parents are now happy with his success story despite the rejection and disapproval at the beginning of his career.

“Many times, my father used to beat me to discourage me from pursuing a career in the boxing profession. Luckily there was a day that I participated in a bout organised by some politicians in 2007 and it was shown on the Broadcasting Corporation of Oyo State (BCOS) television and my younger brother drew the attention of my father to it when it was being broadcast, and my father saw what was happening on the television – he saw me fighting on the screen. He stopped discouraging me as from that day.

“That singular discovery made him to change his mind and he is always happy whenever he his referred to as Daddy Scorpion because of my success story”, he said

The 23-year-old boxing champion, however charged aspiring sportsmen to be disciplined, focused and to be resolute in the face of opposition while assuring them that sport is now lucrative.

“You must be ready to pay your dues. You must be ready to weather the storms that will threaten to chase you and discourage you from achieving your dreams. You must be prayerful too. You must remain focused because the future is ours.”

Scorpion, who made these revelations during the week in Ibadan while featuring on Parrot Xtra Hour on Radio along side his promoter, Sola Ayodele ‘Ford’ , further encouraged Nigerian youths to combine hard work and prayer , reassuring them that God still rewards hard work. “It is better to trust God; I never knew I could be a world champion”.

He used the opportunity to dispel the notion widely held by people that all boxers are touts. He stated that the boxing profession is a noble, lucrative profession that youths should venture into.

The champion also stated that he got his stage name “Scorpion” from his former trainer and coach Mr Ajibola who has trained and produced many professional boxers who are technically good.

He disclosed that he adopted the name “Scorpion” to encourage his trainer who suffered in the profession and was not rewarded by the authorities.

He said “I decided to adopt the name to encourage and spur my trainer to return to the ring when I wanted to turn professional. I wanted to achieve success through the name so as to encourage him and bring him back to the ring. Through my success story, I am happy that he is back today as a well-respected trainer.

Also commenting , the promoter of the boxer, Mr Sola Ayodele ‘Ford’ disclosed how he discovered the world boxing champion.

According to the promoter, he was lucky to meet Ridwan Scorpion, an ‘okada’ operator at the tarmac in Agodi gate, Ibadan where he had gone to purchase some auto spare parts.

He revealed that he got to know that Ridwan was a boxer when another bike man hailed him as a boxer from the opposite direction of the road.

“During the course of our conversation, I asked him if he was a boxer and he responded in the affirmative.

“As we were approaching Bode, my destination, I was curious to ask him how possible is it for him to be a boxer and an Okada man. This was when he revealed to me that it was the Nigerian frustration that made him to become a bike rider. I was later shocked when I saw all the medals he had won in a polythene bag, and I decided to render my little assistance to him”, he narrated.