Lasisi Aliu ‘Lucky Boy’ Bamidele is a Nigerian boxer based in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. He is the current WBC International Super Flyweight gold champion, a title he won in April this year.
He is at present in Nigeria, preparing for his title defence which he hopes will take place in the country later this year, hopefully in December. In this interview with our correspondent, Ifeanyi Eduzor, he opens up on why he relocated to Dubai, his plans to win a world title and many more.
Can you tell us what your growing up was like and how you came into boxing?
I grew up in Ijora Badia, a suburb in Lagos. As a young man, I had a lot of friends and we engaged in one sport or another. Initially, I never taught I would be a boxer though I was a tough guy whom none of my mates dared engage in a fight. Growing up was fun, as we engaged in a lot of sporting activities like football, table tennis, Ayo, draughts and even athletics. However, one day, one of my friends, Kehinde, who is a who, invited me to one of his fights at the National Stadium, Surulere, and after watching some of the fights, I told him that I could defeat most of those boxers. Encouraged by my interest, he introduced me to a boxing coach whom we fondly called Coach T & T. The coach taught me the rudiments of boxing and I’Il never forget him for making me the dreaded fighter that I’ m today.
You were at the Algiers All Africa Games in 2007, what made you join the paid ranks shortly after that Games?
Going to the All Africa Games, Commonwealth Games, Olympics or World Championship is the dream of every sportsman or woman and I went to that Games with the full confidence that I would conquer Africa in my weight category and qualify for the Olympics. But, unfortunately, I lost in the quarter finals and was not able to qualify for the Olympics, which devastated me. After the Games, I decided that as a good pugilist, who has made his mark at the amateur cadre, the best thing to do was to turn professional and I’ve not regretted my action because it has been one victory after another.
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As a professional boxer, why did you decide to relocate to Dubai instead of America or Europe like other boxers?
My decision to relocate to Dubai was because I needed a country with modern sporting facilities to train and achieve my dream of becoming a world champion. I had wanted to move to America or Europe but the opportunity did not come. After several trials, I then relocated to Ghana and from there to Dubai. My experience in Ghana was awesome. Their organisational skill and training schedule was wonderful. While in Ghana, I was attached to Coach Adama, a great coach by all standards. He was the one that encouraged me to relocate to Dubai and I am very grateful to him. Although many people believe that Europe and America is home of boxing but I want them to visit Dubai and see the transformation they’re bringing to boxing, which has encouraged many boxers to be moving there in droves. I’ m enjoying my stay there and the exposure and training is comparable to the best you can get anywhere in the world and it has really helped my career.
Recently you won the vacant WBC International Super flyweight belt. What lessons did you learn from the fight?
The fight actually took place on April 5 this year at the Club Atletico Lilin, Laprida, Buenos Aires, Argentina, and it was against Ricardo Blandon of Nicaragua. He is a very good boxer and got all the support from his fellow South Americans but because I prepared well for the fight coupled with my exposure in Dubai, I was able to defeat him on a unanimous points decision. However, it must be noted that before that fight, I had earlier won the WBC silver belt in Ghana. The recent victory brought my record to 13 wins, 8 by knockout and no loss. So, you can see I am ready to further put smiles on the faces of Nigerians as a professional fighter.
What are your next plans after this victory in far away Argentina?
My next plan is to defend my title here in Nigeria and that is why I came back to show my belts to my fans and also appeal to government and corporate Nigeria to sponsor the title defence. Although the world boxing body has not named my opponent but I am assuring Nigerians that I am not afraid of defending my title against anybody because my plan is that after the title defence, I will now have a crack at the major title, which is the WBC Superflyweight title presently held by Francisco Estrada of Mexico, who won the title on April, 26 this year. I’ve watched his fights and that of other flyweight boxers and I’m convinced that none of them can withstand me in the ring and I will not rest on my oars until I win that title, which is my major target.
But don’t you think that at 29, age is no longer on your side to win a world title?
Age is just a number. In boxing, the older you are, the more experience you garner. We have seen some older boxers, who succeeded in defeating younger boxers with some even coming out of retirement to create record. I still fight like a 20-year-old man and like I said earlier, I will never stop fighting until I’ve achieved my target of winning a world title.
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Your ring name is ‘ Lucky Boy’; can you tell us how you came about that name?
I decided to adopt the name because luck has always shone on me right from my amateur days to the present time. You know it’s not easy for a fighter to have 13 professional fights without losing any. To me, that’s God’s work and the only way I can appreciate that is to adopt that name. There have been times when I will not be given a chance in a fight but to the astonishment of everybody , I will take my opponent to the cleaners. Having said this, I want you to understand that since I adopted that ring name, luck has been shinning on me and I hope it will continue to shine on me until I win a major world title.
As a young man, who grew up in Ijora Badia, what plan do you have for youths of the community that made you what you are today?
I want to tell you that I am in constant touch with the community and even while in Dubai, I always communicate with them. Even when I came back to Nigeria after winning my title, my first point of call was Ijora Badia. Having said this, I intend to build a gym in the area after winning a world title. The gym will be equipped with the most modern boxing facilities. You know, the area has produced a lot of good pugilists in the past and the boxing gym will enable talented and promising boxers of the area to train and become future champions. As a place where I grew up, I will also support the development of the area and create some youth empowerment programmes that will help check youth restiveness and crime in the area because an engaged youth will have little or no time for crime.
Which of your fights would you describe as the toughest and do you have any regret going into boxing?
All my 13 fights were very tough but the one I will describe as the toughest was my last fight against Nicaraguan Ricardo Blandon in Argentina. I fought him under very hostile environment and my opponent is a strong and experienced fighter but to the glory of God, I came out victorious. That victory has given me the courage to go for bigger fights and the ultimate title, which I am eagerly waiting for after my title defence. On regret, I don’t have any, going into boxing and if given the chance I will still be a boxer.
