Henry Akinwande - AbsoluteAstronomy.com

Henry Akinwande is a British former professional heavyweight boxer and former WBO

World Boxing Organization

The World Boxing Organization is a sanctioning organization currently recognizing professional boxing world champions. The organization is recognized as one of the four major world championship groups by the IBHOF alongside the International Boxing Federation, the World Boxing Council and the...

world heavyweight champion.

Background

Akinwande was born in London

London

London is the capital city of :England and the :United Kingdom, the largest metropolitan area in the United Kingdom, and the largest urban zone in the European Union by most measures. Located on the River Thames, London has been a major settlement for two millennia, its history going back to its...

, England

England

England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...

but went to live in his parents homeland of Nigeria as a 4-year-old and came back to England as a 21-year-old (1986).

Amateur career

As an amateur boxing out of the Lynn amateur boxing club in Walworth, SE London, he was ABA heavyweight champion in both 1988 and 1989, beating another fellow Nigerian and future WBO world heavyweight champion Herbie Hide

Herbie Hide

Herbie Hide is a British boxer of Nigerian heritage from Norwich currently fighting in the cruiserweight class...

and represented Great Britain in the heavyweight division at the 1988 Olympic Games

1988 Summer Olympics

The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...

in Seoul, South Korea.

Amateur Highlights

1986 ABA 2nd place at Heavyweight
1987 ABA 2nd place at Heavyweight
1988 ABA Champion at Heavyweight
1988 represented Great Britain as a Heavyweight at the Seoul Olympic Games. Result was:
- Lost to Arnold Vanderlyde
  Arnold Vanderlyde
  Arnold Petrus Maria Vanderlyde is a former boxer from the Netherlands, who participated in three Summer Olympics and won three bronze medals in the heavyweight division , starting in 1984 in Los Angeles, California. He started boxing at age fifteen...
  
  (Netherlands) points
1989 ABA Champion at Heavyweight, outpointing Herbie Hide
Herbie Hide
Herbie Hide is a British boxer of Nigerian heritage from Norwich currently fighting in the cruiserweight class...

in final.

Professional career

Akinwande made his professional debut in 1989 against Carlton Headley in London

London

and won all of his first 18 bouts (which included a win against former world Light Heavyweight Champion JB Williamson) before challenging Axel Schulz

Axel Schulz

Axel Schulz is a retired German heavyweight boxer.-Amateur career:From 1982 Schulz boxed for the army sports club Vorwärts in Frankfurt , later becoming the East German youth champion...

for the vacant European heavyweight title in Berlin

Berlin

Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...

, Germany

Germany

Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...

in 1992. The fight, scored only by the referee was adjudged to be a draw after 12 rounds. This was felt by many to be a "home town" decision, as most observers had Akinwande winning comfortably.

Following a victory over New Zealand

New Zealand

New Zealand is an island country in the south-western Pacific Ocean comprising two main landmasses and numerous smaller islands. The country is situated some east of Australia across the Tasman Sea, and roughly south of the Pacific island nations of New Caledonia, Fiji, and Tonga...

's James Thunder

James Thunder

Jimmy Thunder , is a former Samoan boxer.- Early life :During his early life and amateur career, Thunder was known as Jimmy Peau. His mother Papaliitele Milagi Leaupepe is from the village of Fasitoouta, and his father Lupematasila Maalo Faasavalu Peau is from the village of Falelatai...

for the Commonwealth title in 1993, Akinwande again challenged Schulz for the vacant European belt. This time three judges were employed and Akinwande was awarded a unanimous decision after 12 rounds. He was to defend the title twice, against Biagio Chianese and Mario Scheisser. Akinwande also defeated fellow Briton and future World Cruiserweight Champion Johnny Nelson

Johnny Nelson

Ivanson Ranny "Johnny" Nelson is a former professional boxer from Sheffield, England. He was the WBO cruiserweight champion for over six years, having successfully defended the title 13 times. Nelson also held the European and British cruiserweight titles...

, former IBF World Heavyweight Champion Tony Tucker

Tony Tucker

Tony Craig Tucker is a retired professional heavyweight boxer. Tucker fought professionally from 1980 to 1998. Nicknamed "TNT," he won a gold medal at the 1979 Pan American Games, and was briefly a world heavyweight champion as a professional.-Amateur career:Tucker had a notable amateur career,...

, Frankie Swindell and Gerard Jones

Gerard Jones

For the entrepreneur see Gérard Jones.Gerard Jones is an award-winning American author and comic book writer.-Biography:Jones was born in Cut Bank, Montana, and raised in Los Gatos and Gilroy, California...

, all from the USA, during this period.

In 1996 Akinwande faced American Jeremy Williams

Jeremy Williams (boxer)

Jeremy Williams is a former professional boxer and mixed martial artist.-Amateur career:As an amateur, he was the 1989 and 1990 United States amateur Light Heavyweight champion and the 1990 and 1991 National Golden Gloves Light Heavyweight champion, and is a member of the Golden Gloves hall of...

for the WBO title which had been vacated by Riddick Bowe

Riddick Bowe

Riddick Lamont Bowe is a retired American boxer. He is a two-time heavyweight champion and a former undisputed heavyweight champion...

, a fight which Akinwande was to win via a 3rd round stoppage. Akinwande went on to defend the belt twice, with victories over Russian Alexander Zolkin and fellow Briton Scott Welch

Scott Welch

-Profile:As an amateur, Scott became one of the UK's ABA Heavyweight Champions. He travelled the world as a professional boxer, winning the Southern Area belt, the British, Commonwealth and WBO Intercontinental titles....

who had won the WBO Intercontinental Title with a stoppage over the 46 year old Joe Bugner

Joe Bugner

József Kreul "Joe" Bugner is a Hungarian-born British-Australian former top heavyweight boxer. He holds triple nationality, being a citizen of Hungary and a naturalized citizen of both Australia and the United Kingdom where he learned to box and spent his peak years.Born in Szőreg, a southeastern...

.

The WBO belt was then vacated so that Akinwande could pursue a challenge to WBC

World Boxing Council

The World Boxing Council was initially established by 11 countries: the United States, Argentina, United Kingdom, France, Mexico, Philippines, Panama, Chile, Peru, Venezuela and Brazil plus Puerto Rico, met in Mexico City on February 14, 1963, upon invitation of the then President of Mexico, Adolfo...

champion Lennox Lewis

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

in 1997. The fight took place at Caesars Tahoe in Nevada

Nevada

Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...

. Akinwande was strangely subdued and spent much of the fight attempting to clinch Lewis. After repeated warnings, referee Mills Lane

Mills Lane

Mills Bee Lane III is a retired boxing referee, a former boxer, was a two term Washoe County District Court Judge, and television personality...

finally ran out of patience and disqualified Akinwande for repeated holding in the 5th round.

A proposed challenge to Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield

Evander Holyfield is a professional boxer from the United States. He is a former undisputed world champion in both the cruiserweight and heavyweight divisions, earning him the nickname "The Real Deal"...

for the WBA

World Boxing Association

The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...

belt in 1998 was later abandoned after Akinwande tested positive for hepatitis B. This meant a lengthy spell of recovery for Akinwande, but he was finally cleared to return to the ring in 1999.

Akinwande won his next 8 fights, his victims included top contenders Orlin Norris

Orlin Norris

Orlin Levance Norris, born October 4, 1965 in Lubbock, TX, is an American boxer who held the WBA cruiserweight title and fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

and Maurice Harris

Maurice Harris

Wilbur Maurice Harris , nicknamed "Sugar Moe", is the former United States Boxing Association heavyweight champion.-Pro career:...

, as well as Peter McNeeley

Peter McNeeley

"Hurricane" Peter McNeeley is a former heavyweight boxer, best known for his 1995 fight with Mike Tyson in which McNeeley had famously vowed to wrap Tyson in a "cocoon of horror." McNeeley fought aggressively and was knocked down twice within the first two minutes as a result...

, Kenny Craven, Russel Chasteen and Najee Shaheed.

A fight with Oliver McCall

Oliver McCall

Oliver "The Atomic Bull" McCall is an American professional Heavyweight boxer best known for winning the WBC Heavyweight Championship in 1994 after scoring an upset knock out victory over Lennox Lewis, in Lewis' home town of London, England, followed by his infamous in-ring meltdown in the rematch...

in 2001 resulted in Akinwande's 2nd defeat. After Akinwande had completely outboxed McCall and controlled virtually the entire fight, McCall caught him with a few seconds remaining in the 10th and final round. Akinwande was counted out.

Akinwande recovered from this to win his next 9 bouts, including notable victories against Timo Hoffman, Ed Mahone, Cisse Salif and Anton Nel

Anton Nel

Anton Nel is an American classical pianist.Nel was born to Afrikaans-speaking parents in Johannesburg, South Africa. Nel made his debut at the age of twelve with Beethoven’s C Major Concerto after only two years of study...

, all for the IBF Intercontinental Title.

In late 2006 he dropped a split decision to Oleg Platov

Oleg Platov

Oleg Platov is a professional boxer who fights in the heavyweight division.-Debut fight:After leaving the amateurs ranks Platov was based in Belgium when he became a professional...

, a bout in which Akinwande received a point deduction in 8th round for holding, and Platov received a point deduction in 9th for head butt.

After that fight he won another fight against Andriy Oleinyk in 2007 before losing to top prospect Ondřej Pála

Ondřej Pála

Ondřej Pála is a Czech professional boxer who currently fights in the heavyweight division.- Amateur career :Pála started boxing at 17 under the lead of trainers Jan Balog and Antonín Hauer. His effort soon brought him the Czech Junior heavyweight title...

from the Czech Republic by unanimous decision on July 4, 2008, which turned out to be his last fight.

Professional boxing record

Ondrej Pala
|UD
|6
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|50-3-1
|align=left|

Oleh Platov
|SD
|12
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|49-2-1
|align=left|

Cisse Salif
|UD
|12
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|48-2-1
|align=left|

Ed Mahone
|UD
|12
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|47-2-1
|align=left|

Tipton Walker
|TKO
|2
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|46-2-1
|align=left|

Alexander Vasiliev

Alexander Alexandrovich Vasiliev was considered the foremost authority on Byzantine history and culture in the mid-20th century. His History of the Byzantine Empire Alexander Alexandrovich Vasiliev (1867-1953) was considered the foremost authority on Byzantine history and culture in the mid-20th...

|UD
|8
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|45-2-1
|align=left|

Anton Nel
|TKO
|10
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|44-2-1
|align=left|

Timo Hoffmann

Timo Hoffmann is a professional boxer who fights in the heavyweight division. He is probably best known as being the only fighter for nearly a decade who went to the distance with Vitali Klitschko...

|SD
|12
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|43-2-1
|align=left|

Raman Sukhaterin
|UD
|12
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|42-2-1
|align=left|

Sam Ubokane
|TKO
|7
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|41-2-1
|align=left|

Oliver McCall

|KO
|10
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|40-1-1
|align=left|

Maurice Harris

Wilbur Maurice Harris , nicknamed "Sugar Moe", is the former United States Boxing Association heavyweight champion.-Pro career:...

|KO
|1
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|39-1-1
|align=left|

Peter McNeeley

|KO
|2
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|38-1-1
|align=left|

Kenny Craven
|TKO
|1
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|37-1-1
|align=left|

Russell Chasteen
|TKO
|5
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|36-1-1
|align=left|

Chris Sirengo
|TKO
|1
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|35-1-1
|align=left|

Najee Shaheed
|TKO
|9
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|34-1-1
|align=left|

Reynaldo Minus
|TKO
|2
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|33-1-1
|align=left|

Orlin Norris

Orlin Levance Norris, born October 4, 1965 in Lubbock, TX, is an American boxer who held the WBA cruiserweight title and fought in several noteworthy boxing matches in the 1980s and 1990s...

Lennox Lewis

Lennox Claudius Lewis, CM, CBE is a retired boxer and the most recent British undisputed world heavyweight champion. He holds dual British and Canadian citizenship...

|DQ
|5
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|32-0-1
|align=left|

Scott Welch

|UD
|12
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|31-0-1
|align=left|

Alexander Zolkin
|TKO
|10
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|30-0-1
|align=left|

Jeremy Williams

Jeremy Williams (boxer)

|KO
|3
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|29-0-1
|align=left|

Gerard Jones
|DQ
|7
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|28-0-1
|align=left|

Brian Sargent
|TKO
|4
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|27-0-1
|align=left|

Tony Tucker

|UD
|10
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|26-0-1
|align=left|

Stanley Wright
|TKO
|2
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|25-0-1
|align=left|

Calvin Jones
|KO
|2
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|24-0-1
|align=left|

Mario Schiesser
|KO
|7
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|23-0-1
|align=left|

Johnny Nelson

|PTS
|10
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|22-0-1
|align=left|

Biagio Chianese
|TKO
|4
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|21-0-1
|align=left|

Frankie Swindell
|PTS
|10
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|20-0-1
|align=left|

Axel Schulz

Axel Schulz is a retired German heavyweight boxer.-Amateur career:From 1982 Schulz boxed for the army sports club Vorwärts in Frankfurt , later becoming the East German youth champion...

|UD
|12
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|19-0-1
|align=left|

Jimmy Thunder

Axel Schulz

Axel Schulz is a retired German heavyweight boxer.-Amateur career:From 1982 Schulz boxed for the army sports club Vorwärts in Frankfurt , later becoming the East German youth champion...

|PTS
|12
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|18–0
|align=left|

Steve Garber
|TKO
|2
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|17–0
|align=left|

Kimmuel Odum
|DQ
|6
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|16–0
|align=left|

Lumbala Tshibamba
|PTS
|8
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|15–0
|align=left|

Tucker Richards
|TKO
|2
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|14–0
|align=left|

Eddie Taylor
|TKO
|3
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|13–0
|align=left|

Tim Bullock
|TKO
|3
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|12–0
|align=left|

John Fury
|KO
|3
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|11–0
|align=left|

Marshall Tillman
|PTS
|8
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|10–0
|align=left|

Ramon Voorn
|PTS
|8
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|9–0
|align=left|

J. B. Williamson

J. B. Williamson was a professional boxer in the light heavyweight division.Williamson turned pro in 1979 after a successful amateur career and won the Vacant WBC Light Heavyweight Title in 1985 in a decision over Prince Mama Mohammed. He lost the title in his first defense against Dennis Andries...

|TKO
|2
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|8–0
|align=left|

Francois Yrius
|TKO
|1
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|7–0
|align=left|

Tracy Thomas
|PTS
|6
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|6–0
|align=left|

Mike Robinson
|KO
|1
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|5–0
|align=left|

Warren Thompson

Warren Thompson (boxer)

Warren Thompson is a former heavyweight boxer best known for his successful amateur boxing career.-Professional career:Nicknamed "Chico", Thompson turned pro in 1985 and was upset by also debuting Mike Hunter...

|PTS
|6
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|4–0
|align=left|

John Fairbairn
|TKO
|1
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|3–0
|align=left|

Paul Neilson
|TKO
|1
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|2–0
|align=left|

Dennis Bailey
|TKO
|2
|
|align=left|
|align=left|
|-align=center
|Win
|1–0
|align=left|

Background

Amateur career

Amateur Highlights

Professional career

Professional boxing record

See also