REMEMBERING DICK TYGER (RICHARD IHETU); ONE OF GREATEST AFRICAN BOXER AND PRIDE OF NIGERIA

Richard Ihetu also known as “Dick Tiger” was one of the greatest boxers ever to come out of Black Africa. Capturing both the World Middleweight and World Light-Heavyweight titles during his career, Ihetu won 60 out of 82 fights with 27 of them, via knock-out. 19 of his fights ended in losses and 3 in a draw.

Born in Ubahu Village, Amaigbo, Imo State on August 14, 1929, Richard Ihetu grew up in Aba, Eastern Nigeria where he picked up interest in boxing. Started boxing at age 19, competing in inter-club contests organized by British military officers in Nigeria. He immigrated to Liverpool, England in 1955 following in the footsteps of countryman and fellow boxer, Hogan Kid Bassey in search of greener pastures for his boxing career, working on the side as a lunch pail workman.  His breakthrough came in 1957 when he was pitted with one of the young stars in the Mickey Duff and Harry Levene stable, Terry Downes, stopping him in six rounds. Later that year he drew with the British champion Pat McAteer and in four months stopped him in four rounds to win the Commonwealth title on the March 27, 1958.

After four years in Britain, Dick Tiger relocated to New York and it was there that he learnt the salient points of the game. He suffered several setbacks, including controversial losses to Rory Calhoun, Joey Giardello and Wilf Greaves, but a series of impressive wins over leading contenders earned him a shot at Gene Fullmer’s middleweight title. Dick Tiger became a world champion when on 23rd October, 1962 he defeated Gene Fullmer to win the N.B.A. (later W.B.A.) world middleweight title. The Nigerian government in a show of support sent an official delegation, led by the Federal Minister of Labour and Sports, Chief Modupe Johnson, to the fight. The Governor-General, Dr. Nnamdi Azikiwe cabled a goodwill message urging him to fight a good fight in the tradition of the manly art.

Dick Tiger won a unanimous decision over Fullmer after comprehensively beating the American in his own backyard. After the fight many Nigerians who kept vigil monitoring proceedings on radio trooped out in celebrations congratulating each other on the great feat achieved by a Nigerian. Meanwhile a party was organised after the fight where Chief Modupe Johnson toasted Dick Tiger as “our champion”. Dick Tiger came back to Nigeria as a hero and was feted by the governments of the Eastern and Western regions amongst several events lined up to celebrate the worthy champion.

In August, 1963  Dick Tiger knocked out Gene Fullmer in Ibadan at the Liberty Stadium to retain his middleweight title in what was the first world title fight to be staged in Black Africa. The fight was made possible by the combined efforts of the Federal Government, the East, West and North Regional Governments. It was one fight that brought Nigerians together in celebration of one of their own who had excelled at the world stage. At this point Dick Tiger was no longer just the pride of Nigeria but had been appropriated by Black Africa. After defeating Fullmer, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah congratulated him on his successful defence of his middleweight crown, remarking that the victory added another testimony to the ability of the African to scale the highest ladder of human achievement.

His third defence came against his old rival, Joey Giardello, who jabbed and ran, to lift the title. It took Tiger two years to force Giardello into a return – an arduous time in his career that saw him picking up four wins and a highly faulted split points loss to Joey Archer. One of his victims in this period was Rubin ‘Hurricane’ Carter, who was dropped three times and badly brutalized, afterwards describing it as the worst beating he had taken “inside or outside of the ring.”

Dick Tiger lost his middleweight crown in December, 1963 to Joey Giadello but regained same in October, 1965 to become the oldest active world champion.

In his next fight a 36-year-old Tiger had no trouble regaining the world title, with his second win over Giardello and followed that with a knockout over Germany’s Peter Mueller. Emile Alphonse Griffith proved to be the albatross of Tiger’s career taking the WBC and WBA World Middleweight titles in a unanimous decision on April 25 1966. Dick Tiger returned to unstoppable form, powering passed Puerto Rican, Jose Torres, fellow countryman, Abraham Tomica and American, Roger Rouse to become only the second fighter in 63 years to win the world light heavyweight title in addition to winning a middleweight championship. His career seemed over when he was knocked out in four rounds by Bob Foster and yet he returned to outpoint Frankie De Paula in The Ring’s 1968 Fight of the Year, and followed this with wins over middleweight champion Nino Benvenuti and light heavyweight contender Andy Kendall.

 In a charity bout, in February, 1967 against the then Nigerian middleweight champion, Abraham Tonica, to raise funds for refugees swarming into then Eastern region as a result of the killings in Northern Nigeria, he was reputed to have hit Abraham Tonica with such ferocity, that Tonica, just before throwing in the towel, wondered aloud whether he was being hit with human fists or iron.

He retired at 41 after losing a return with Emile Griffith and became a security guard at a New York City museum.

Dick Tiger was very vocal about the Nigerian Civil War, himself serving as an officer in the Biafran Army. He was noted for returning his Commander of British Empire (CBE) insignia in protest to the heavy support given to the Nigerian Government by Whitehall.

 By May, 1967 hostilities had broken out between Nigeria and Biafra. He was an honorary Biafra army officer and tried to rally US support for Biafra Dick Tiger pledged his loyalty to Biafra and declared Nigeria dead. He made a plea to sports writers all over the world not to continue to associate his name with Nigeria. He aborted his retirement plans so as to put Biafra on the sporting map. This singular act caused Dick Tiger to lose much of his wealth and assets which he had accumulated in Nigeria. The Federal Government labelled him a traitor.

By July, 1971 Dick Tiger was diagnosed with cancer of the liver in New York City. He was home sick and wanted to come back to Nigeria, but given his wartime activities he sought assurances from the authorities that he was free to come back to Nigeria. He came back to Nigeria on 18th July, 1971. His international passport was confiscated and the Government refused his request to go out of Nigeria to undergo radical treatment for his cancer. He died on 14th December, 1971

It is instructive that Dick Tiger was never officially honoured by the Nigerian Government and till date has not been so honoured. The governments of the old Eastern region comprising of present day Imo, Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Rivers, Bayelsa, Cross River and Akwa Ibom States have also not deemed it fit to honour the memory of this great Nigerian.

For a while Dick was forgotten but over the last 20 years there has been fair mention of his accomplishments. In 1991 Tiger became the ever first African boxer to be elected to the International Boxing Hall of Fame. Films of some of his fights have been aired on ESPN from time to time.

My appeal to the authorities is that in these times where all sorts of characters are honoured for dubious achievements, Dick Tiger should be posthumously honoured. We need to show appreciation to this great and committed compatriot, who is undoubtedly Nigeria’s greatest sports personality.  I therefore suggest that the great Dick Tiger be conferred with a national honour and at a minimum the Abuja stadium named after him. As for the governments of Imo, Abia, Anambra, Enugu, Ebonyi, Rivers, Cross-River and Bayelsa States they should take urgent steps to immortalize this most illustrious Nigerian.

In these final thoughts, the word, “commitment” rings loud in the mind. We should remember when we sang our National Anthem every morning at school assembly time, we committed to that song to make sure that “the Labours of Our Heroes Past Shall Never Be in Vain…” In the end, Richard Ihetu epitomized that Nigerian commitment to fight, win and stand for what he believed in.  And I think his labour should never have to go in vain. He was indeed Nigeria’s greatest