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DICK TIGER: THE LIFE AND TIMES OF A BOXING IMMORTAL
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Dick Tiger. The name conjure's images of some Seventeenth century coach robber. Or of a cauliflower eared turn of the twentieth century pugilist.The pseudonymn of a circus metal bender perhap's?
Richard Ihetu was none of these. But in the boxing ring, he was as noble and as fierce as any Tiger could be and he was the epitome of dignity and affability outside of it. He was born on August 14 1929 in the gladed forest's of Amaigbo, a village located on the fringes of the delta area of the great River Niger. The descendant of traditional wrestlers on both paternal and maternal family trees, the young Richard Ihetu appeared to inherit the physical strength and combativeness of his ancestors, qualities that would serve him well during an abbreviated life that was be laden with many obstacle's and diasppointments.
He had barely began his adolescent years when tragedy struck: His father, Ubuagu Ihetu died and his mother was compelled to foster her sons out to her late husbands relatives in order that they would be able to learn a trade. The brothers eventually linked up in the burgeoning township of Aba, a place of frenetic commercial activity.It was here that Tiger imbibed many of his abiding life values including the one he appeared to adhere to most: Following the path of sobriety and hard work will bring you success. He grew up in an era of great optimism, a time when his people, the Igbo ethnic group had long overturned the early impressions of the British colonial regime that they were the most backward of the peoples they had conquered. On the contrary, the clannishness of the Igbo's allied with their thirst for western education and an apparent mercantile dexterity had by the post World War period began to produce one of sub-saharan Africa's most advanced peoples.
Young Richard traded, in empty bottles, household goods and even sold pet monkeys and parrots obtained from the Delta Town of Opobo which he and his brothers trained. But his metier, he found not in education or trading, but in fighting. He warded off what he termed "the opposition" at the lengthy queues that formed at the water pumps during water shortages and he pummelled those who trifled with him as he went about his business.
It was, perhaps inevitable that these aggressive impulses were channelled into boxing. His entry into the sport, (in the late 1940's), coincided with two important developments. Firstly, the formalisation of boxing organisations in Nigeria -the Nigerian Boxing Board of Control was created in 1949 and secondly, the migration of many West African and mainly Nigerian fighters to Britain. Richard quickly became a star fighter in his native Eastern Region. His pugnacious, bobbing, jumping style caused one onlooking Englishman to exclaim: "A Tiger! That's what he is! A Tiger!" Dick Tiger the fighter was born.
Yet, his ascent to World champion status was not a straightforward tale. For even though he overcame the first hurdle of convincing the Lagos media that he was no pushover 'provincial fighter,' doubts lingered about his true abilities. He was never officially recognised as Nigerian champion. Nor would he win the nations prestigious Collister Belt Tourney. And contrary to his official fight record, he was unable to defeat a local rival by the name of Tommy West in any of three meetings.Nevertheless, it became apparent in time that he was superior to the local opposition. Not for the last time, he outgrew his surroundings and would move on. Beside's , there were in his words "too many boxers and too few fights." So in 1955, he joined the transatlantic migration of boxers, ending up in Liverpool, the port city in North West England.
In Liverpool Tiger had models to strive at. Roy Ankrah, the Gold Coast (Later Ghana) born featherweight had won the British Empire Featherweight Title in 1951 and only a few weeks after his arrival, countryman Hogan Bassey had won the same title from the Irishman Billy Kelly. But acclimatising to the British weather, food and boxing styles were a tall order for Tiger. He lost his first four bouts. Although he quickly reversed these losses, his manager, Peter Banasko, disillusioned after losing Bassey's services and unimpressed by what he perceived as Tiger's 'lack of potential' dumped him. On hearing the news, Tiger broke down in tears. The Entertainment Tax legislation which had brought about a recession in the boxing industry was biting as hard as ever and several manager's refused to sign him. On the verge of aborting his career, Tiger relaunched his career under the management of Tony Vairo and the coaching of Maurice Foran. Refusing in his words to "give in to despair," he went from strength to strength, demolishing Terry Downes and finally winning the British Empire Middleweight title from Patrick McAteer in March 1958.
In 1959, Tiger dumped Vairo and bought a one-way ticket for New York and immortality. But before he won the World Middleweight title from Gene Fullmer he had to contend with more obstacles: fighters persistently dodged him and champions evaded his challenges. There were perverse decisions and promises cynically renaged upon by fight promoters. Tiger remained stoic, eschewing his disappointments to find in each occasion a "new courage" to continue.
In America they remember the homborg wearing African with the quasi-anglicised speak.The elegant gentleman complete with enigmatic tribal scars who bantered with journalists about politics, economics and boxing. He made good 'copy' and they dutifully recorded his responses to their inane questions about whether cannibalism was practised in his homeland and why he appeared to live a frugal lifestyle. He became a staple to viewers in the closing era of weekly televised fights from Madison Square Garden. That 'Mecca of Boxing' would, over the years become the staging post for many of Tiger's battles which were some of the greatest bouts of the 1960's. Who could forget the way he brushed aside 'the Hurricane,' Rubin Carter in 1965 or the manner he pummelled Joey Giardello to regain the title Giardello had made him wait twenty-two months to regain? Yes, Emile Griffith controversially won the middleweight title from him in 1966 and as an ageing Lightheavyweight, Bob Foster poleaxed him. But Tiger scored two rousing victories over Jose Torres -taller, heavier and stronger -to win the world Lightheavyweight champion. And few fighters ever matched Tiger for bravery, heart and savvy, when he twice had to come off the canvas against the heavy hitting Lightheavyweight, Frankie De Paula. That match, an exhillarating, unforgettable piece of gladiatorial theatre, won the accolade of Ring magazine's fight of the year in 1968.
Tiger's courage did not end in the ring. It translated itself into a moral responsibility to support his people, the despised and pogromised Igbo's in their quest to secede from Nigeria. Two weeks after Colonel Ojukwu's proclamation on May 30 1967 that Nigeria's Eastern Region had become the Republic of Biafra, he announced himself to be a "no longer Nigerian." With an almost demonic zeal, he promoted the cause to American newspapers, financed propaganda, played the Biafran anthem before his matches and became the sole distributor of communications gadget's to the Biafran security and armed services. He even joined the Morale Corps of the Biafran Army. And when at the end of 1969, the out numbered and out gunned Biafrans were teetering on the brink of their inevitable collapse, he handed his MBE medal back to the British government, plaintively explaining his disgust at their support of the Nigerian government in perpetuating the genocide of his people.
Tiger, painfully had to prolong his boxing career into his early forties and when the offers dried, he took to working as a security guard at a New York City museum. He remained in exile until July 1971, when he was diagnosed with Liver cancer. With only months left to live, Tiger resolved to go home, but only after he was satisfied by assurances of the Nigerian government, witnessed by sports journalist Larry Merchant, that he would be granted safe passage.
His funeral, held in Amaigbo, five days after he died on December 15, was an emotion laden occasion. 20, 000 people thronged the dusty roadside to view the cortege arriving from Aba. Later, his graveside echoed to the thundering roar of a twenty-one gun salute. Although the Ihetu family do not recall receiving any message of condolence from the Military Junta, heartfelt tributes arrived from all over the world. Obituaries appeared in the New York Times, London Times and numerous newspapers and boxing journals. Ring magazines Ted Carroll, perhaps summed it up best when he wrote that Tiger 'was that rare individual whose abilities in his chosen profession matched his abilities as a man.'
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A young Tiger strikes a pose.
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Tiger poses in a Liverpool gym with Spar mate Alan Smith
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Tiger's breakthrough fight came in 1957 when he administered a merciless beating to Terry Downes, the loquacious 'Paddington Panther'
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With Bessie Braddock. The formidable 'Battling Bessie' was the Member of Parliament for Liverpool Exchange.
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Wife Abigail gives Tiger a massage at their home in Liverpool. (Circa 1959)
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Tiger winks to the camera while training for a match with Henry Hank. March 1962.
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For further information on the book Dick Tiger: The Life and Times of a Boxing Immortal contact me at adeyinkamakinde@aol.com
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