In the world of sports, legacies are often passed down from one generation to the next. In football, we have the Sodjes and such is the case with the Nwokolo family, where the torch of athletic excellence has been carried forward by the son, Emeka Nwokolo, following in the footsteps of his father, Charles Nwokolo, PETER AKINBO writes
Charles Nwokolo, known to his boxing fans as ‘Dick Tiger’ made a significant impact in the boxing world. Representing Nigeria, he achieved remarkable feats during his career.
In 1983, at the Commonwealth Games, he secured a gold medal and was honoured as the Best Boxer of the tournament. The following year, in the 1984 Olympics held in Los Angeles, he continued to shine but did not claim a medal.
Charles turned professional in 1986, becoming the African Champion and Commonwealth Champion in the same year.
He moved to Los Angeles, USA in that same year to continue his pro career and finished with 31 wins and 20 KOs. He now has his own gym, Tiger Boxing Gym, where he trains boxers in Hollywood.
His son, Emeka Nwokolo, was born in Edo State, and initially made waves in football during his high school years. He now boasts a record of 12 wins and just one loss, 11 of his victories coming by way of knockouts. He is a three-belt champion, holding the WBF, ABF, and UBO titles.
Charles remembers how his son’s first love was football fondly saying, “Emeka was a soccer star growing up in Nigeria, uninterested in boxing.
“When he came to Los Angeles to live with me, soccer was still his dream but a series of events changed his perspective and steered him towards boxing just as the pandemic hit.”
In 2016, Emeka moved to Los Angeles to live with his father, Charles and initially pursued a career in professional soccer, and in 2020, he transitioned to boxing.
One of the events that led to the transition was a car accident that happened in January 2020 when Emeka drove off a cliff and somehow managed to only escape with just a few cuts, scratches and bruises in what the victim is calling a “miracle.”
After struggling for about an hour, Nwokolo was able to kick open the rear door of the overturned car and escape the wreckage.
Then, using a pair of scissors for support he started scaling the slippery and muddy mountainside by digging the scissors into the ground with each step and pulling himself all the way back up to the road.
Nwokolo was then able to flag down a driver who called the police but he miraculously didn’t need any medical attention having emerged from the accident nearly unscathed.
“It’s a miracle, it’s something like a second chance at life for me,” Nwokolo told ABC News’ Los Angeles station KABC in an interview.
“God saved me, it’s not my time.”
After this, he fully went into boxing in August and within just 12 months, he stepped into the ring for his first professional fight in August 2021. His natural athleticism, combined with the boxing genetics inherited from his champion father, allowed him to progress rapidly.
“He was already an elite athlete, good footwork and fast learner so that was a good framework to start. Essentially we went straight into the pros and he learned on the job because amateur boxing was still shut down,” his Dad, Charles told PUNCH Sports Extra.
“I never pressured him to follow me into boxing but now that he has become a boxer and I see how quickly he improves, how hard he works inside and outside of the ring, of course, I am very proud.”
Emeka is also proud of his Dad but doesn’t feel a pressure to match his Dad’s achievements saying, “I’m proud of my Dad and his accomplishments but I don’t feel any pressure to match them.
“My Dad started boxing when he was 13 and I started when I was 27. I am my own man and I am charting my course with my Dad guiding me and in my corner. He is helping me to gain boxing knowledge daily but I never feel pressure from him to perform, only support.”
Like his Dad, Emeka also competes in the welterweight division, while his Dad fought in light-welterweight, he fights in the super-welterweight division.
Both Charles and Emeka share a common goal, to promote boxing and uplift the youth of Nigeria. Emeka specifically aims to make a difference by demonstrating an alternative path away from gang life, he hopes to inspire discipline, positivity, and determination among the youth.
“He is doing something very unusual: starting to box at age 27 and achieving success step by step. On January 20th he fought an 8-round title fight and won his 3rd belt,” Charles tells our correspondent.
“And as his father and former champion, it tickles me that his style is similar to mine, he is a pressure fighter who never backs down. He has a warrior mentality like I have and even some of his movements are similar to mine. What father would not be proud?”
Emeka adds that he wants to do his best to honour the Nigerian people as the 30-year-old keeps chasing glory.
“I am happy to be here in Los Angeles training at our gym, Tiger Boxing Gym. But we never forget Nigeria, our flag hangs in our gym and after every fight I celebrate with my flag. And like my Dad, I want to honour my people and my country,” he said.
