I’m wondering if anyone has an idea where I could get some real good Okro-stew spiced with salt peter or ‘kanwey. I have a fight with a Philippino. I’m making some dollars out of the fight. It is a risk I have decided to take. Because the gentleman I’m going to fight is deadly as the python.
He is left handed; he has retired three boxers in our division, some of them equally deadly. But he retired them. One of them a British Ricky Hatton could not go beyond three rounds. He is smallish but a bully in the ring. He had beaten almost everyone else in the division. I know it was a stupid decision to fight him but I can’t let the money at stake evaporate into tin air. That is huge.
I’m from a poor West African country called Ghana. I come from Bukom in the Ghanaian capital Accra. It is a small but poor suburb with lots of unemployment and uneducated people. It is the home of boxing. The legendary Azumah Nelson honed his skills from there. Ike Quartey who also made a huge pay cheque after he was walloped by Oscar De La Hoya also comes from there. His loss against De La Hoya was deliberate.
He is no fool. I’m one of few boxers to get this lifetime opportunity and If my destiny lies here, I should not let the money slip by me. If my destiny is to be beaten by this smallish guy just for the DOLLAR BILL, I’ll certainly not let that pass me by. However I’m not going to allow him to waste my face like he’s done to the others. Hell no. my folks back home expect me to win the fight.
Especially my immediate relatives, but I’m not interested in that. What interests me most is the money, the DOLLAR BILL. Rather than allow him to reduce me to rubbles, I’ll rather eat some Okro-stew with kenkey, get into the ring and cover up my face till I’m able to cover the 12 rounds. That is my strategy. I’m no fool, folks, I’m no fool. Like I said it’s a risk I’m taking but the money involved is too much to be ignored. I’ll go for the dough, folks.
I surely will find some excuse to tell folks back home about why I lost the fight. Growing up one of the things I learnt from my relatives is that eating Okro-stew laced with salt-peter or ‘kanwey’ gives one stomach upset. I had tried one in the past and I think it better suits me to go back to it. So I headed off to Dallas, one of the cities in Texas, the venue of the fight, and requested a friend’s girlfriend to cook me some spicy okro-stew with kenkey. I’m feeling for it.
The fight is only 24 hours away and I guess if I’m able to visit the toilets from time to time, it will be a good excuse for me to tell the trainers something when I lose the fight. The truth is I can’t fight the former sugar worker. He is strong, smart and fast. After all he is the one giving me the opportunity to make some money.
But I’ll try to make sure he doesn’t retire me from the ring. I can’t wait to cash the money right into my bank account. I’m a rich man regardless of what my country men will say about me. They can talk ‘by-heart’ but I’m not bothered. They can say all things about waking up early to see me fight and I disappointed them. But do I care? I didn’t ask them to wake up and watch me fight.
Even if that happened, I had apologise to them so what do they want from me again, money or the title? I’m not going to eat the title, to be frank with you. Even when I was sitting on the toilet my mind was firmly on the money, not the fight. I was simply praying for the fight to just come to an end so I’ll go out there and cash my money. That was what I thought about and nothing else.
I’m I that stupid to allow my face to be destroyed by this tiny man and use part of the DOLLAR BILL to recover from hospital? I’m no fool. I’m in boxing to make money and not to joke. So if I could fight and lose but rake in that much money I’m fine.
The amount is payment for services rendered in barely an hour work. How many educated people back in Ghana could make that much money? All of you should just shut up and allow me enjoy my money. It’s my money and body so keep quiet. I’m not going to eat the belt and I’m sure you guys sure know that. Who cares about the belt when there is money to be made?
For the last time I’ll like to say that should such an opportunity come my way, I’ll go back to Dallas, look for okro-stew and kenkey so I can get enough sittings on the toilet if only I’ll make the money at the end.
Think about it again, folks!
Seriously?
ReplyDeleteI'm curious Mr Journalist; Did you say a word or lift a finger to help Clottey when he was in tears that he needed his Ghanaian trainer with him prior to the fight?
That aside. Just for argument sake, lets say Clottey was scared to fight. Wouldnt it be nice for you and I to be more supportive with positive criticism so he will prepare better for other fights?
That has always been too much to ask of Ghanaians but we have to change and quit putting each other down. Lets help each other grow and be better at whatever we do.