Ola Afolabi's story...inspirational

Discussion in 'World Boxing Forum' started by lewishamboy, Jan 2, 2013.


  1. lewishamboy

    lewishamboy Styles Impetuous Full Member

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    From his facebook:

    DONT THINK I'VE EVER TOLD MY STORY> HERE GOES

    I ran away from home at the age of 16. Between the ages of 16 to 20 i mixed with the wrong friends/kids on the street. got in trouble with the law a lot.
    My mom passed when i was 20 years old. knowing an african mother, i knew there was no way she was not disappointed by the way i was living. It hurts more than you can imaging to know that my mother, a woman i loved so much was disappointed in me when she died.
    that same year (2000) i decided to flee to america. Yes FLEE. i arrived in los angeles with not a penny to my name, all i had was a brother that allowed me to stay in his apartment for 3 months.
    After moving out of my brothers, i moved into a student hostel where i got a job as a desk clerk. i didn't get paid, i just traded this services for free rent, the rent was only $75 a week as there was three bunk beds and 6 people in a room that i shared with traveling student from europe and around the world. Soon after that, i got a job as a D.j in a local strip-club, a strip-club that didn't have a license or permit to operate as a club. I was working 2 says a week at the strip club for $100 a night. i did this for about 3 months until the law shut the place down.
    i was back working in the hostel with no income, at times the only reason i had food to eat was because the foreign students in my room would hand me charity.
    A few weeks later i walked into a boxing gym in los angeles, while training there one day, i noticed the mirrors and windows were dirty, i made the owner who is now a close friend an offer to clean the mirrors every night because the fighters would sweat on it a lot. he gave me $50 a week to do this, and thats how i survived for the better part of a year.
    i decided to enter a field i had no training in or any idea what i was doing, i just watched the men and women who did it best do it, i copied everything they did and worked as hard as i could.
    12 years later, im 32 years old and its new years eve. I have a career. pleased to say that i am one of the best in the world at what i do. I have a beautiful place i call home. I have most people's yearly income in my checking account, and im going to celebrate NYE with a $12,000 watch on my arm. how far i have come.


    Big up Ola!
     
  2. Manning

    Manning Boxing Junkie Full Member

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  3. FilipMNE

    FilipMNE Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    Really good story, all the best to him.
     
  4. flem1

    flem1 Well-Known Member Full Member

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    Wow! Great to hear he is doing well financially. Looks like he is getting good money in his fights. I hope he wins a belt this year.
     
  5. Saku

    Saku We Are All One Full Member

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    Great story!:good
     
  6. lester proctor

    lester proctor Boxing Addict Full Member

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    I don't think it's super unusual story in boxing, some guys have had it much worse like Ouma or Tapia. Regardless this guy is a credit to the sport, glad he's finally in a good spot.
     
  7. StiffJab

    StiffJab Boxing Junkie Full Member

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    I bet his mum smiles as she watches down on him today. I dare say wlad compensates him well for his sparing duties.

    Even more of reason to support ola
     
  8. jcairns1

    jcairns1 Boxing Addict Full Member

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    Boxing always throws up great stories because it attracts people from all walks of life.

    Ola is a great fighter, had one of the fights of the year last year with Marco Huck, be good to see them tangle for a third time this year.
     
  9. McGrain

    McGrain Diamond Dog Staff Member

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    It is indeed a great story but how about having a fight Ola?
     
  10. lester proctor

    lester proctor Boxing Addict Full Member

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    The Huck fight was so grueling even Huck had to take 6 months off
     
  11. damian38

    damian38 BigDramaShow Full Member

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    very inspirational story, shows how much you can achieve with hard work
     
  12. itsa huge bitch

    itsa huge bitch Boxing Junkie Full Member

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  13. Del Boy

    Del Boy R.I.P Darren Sutherland Full Member

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    Love ola as a fighter he really needs to be on the good side of a dedication soon he deserves it
     
  14. Chempasillo

    Chempasillo Boxing Addict Full Member

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  15. RonnieHornschuh

    RonnieHornschuh ESB indie police Full Member

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    Nice story. Don't like the part with him bragging about his bank account and his 12000 dollar watch.