Photo: Amanda Westcott – Sena Agbeko (28-3, 22 KOs), last December, against David Morrell Jr (10-0, 9 KOs).
“Anyone, anywhere, anytime.”
In the world of combat sports, many say these words to look brave, but most of them are more cautious when the phone rings. And when no one answers the phone, people call “The African Assassin,” Sena Agbeko.
At 168 to 175 pounds, two of the most feared boxers are David Morrell Jr and Osleys Iglesias. The first is Agbeko’s last opponent, the second is his next. But since it didn’t go well against Morrell Jr, the fight against Iglesias comes as a chance for redemption for Agbeko.
“Iglesias, I take it as a Morrell rematch. Both of them are Cubans, southpaws, got a similar style and heavy hands. I saw that Iglesias beat him in the amateurs, so maybe he is even better. But I’m a fighter, and I took the fight wanting to prove that I myself could do much better than I did against Morrell,” said Agbeko.
Fresh Start in Truckee
It happened on December 16, in Minneapolis. Showtime Boxing broadcasts the last fight in its history: Morrell against Agbeko for the Cuban’s regular WBA title. Disaster: without ever touching the canvas, the Ghanaian was stopped in 2 rounds, back against the cables.
The loss was heartbreaking as it gets, but good news was still on their way. Next spring, he received a call from Canelo Alvarez’s clan inviting him to Truckee, California, as a sparring partner for his clash against Jaime Munguia.
True to its reputation, “The African Assassin” said yes. This is when his road to redemption began.
“It lasted 7 weeks and I was the only one who stayed from start to finish. It gave me confidence, but above all, it demonstrated that I belong at this level,” relates the man who was also Christian Mbilli’s training partner in the past.
Back to his routs
Shortly after leaving Canelo’s camp, Agbeko’s manager called him to tell him that a fight against Caleb Plant could be on the horizon.
You will guess that “The African Assassin,” now residing in Nashville, immediately accepted, but that Plant took another direction.
Regardless, Agbeko’s road to redemption was already underway. By then accepting Iglesias’ offer, he already had a fixed idea of where he would take it, for the most important training camp of his career…
In Africa, where it all began.
That’s where we reached out to him, from a WhatsApp call relaying the North Shore of Montreal to the small village of Bukom, in the district of Accra, the capital of Ghana. Several great Ghanaian champions have emerged from there; Ike Quartey, Joshua Clottey. It’s also where Sena Agbeko laced up a pair of boxing gloves for the first time, at the age of 16, 16 years ago, at Suleman Martey Korley’s gym.
“It’s a return to my roots and I don’t think there was a better time to do it,” says the man who was crowned champion of Africa and Ghana in 2011 and 2012.
A unique journey
He may have started boxing late, at the dawn of his 17th birthday, but Sena Agbeko learns quickly.
The child knew how to read even before entering school.
The teenager then created the same magic upon entering a boxing gym.
Result: after a few years in school and only a handful in boxing, the man had a degree in journalism and 15 wins by knockouts in 15 fights.
A “natural,” as they say.
“I always had a certain ease at school, so I was really looking for something different, something terrifying, to get me out of my comfort zone,” he recalls.
“I saw myself becoming a sports analyst, and maybe I will be one day, but here I am today, after discovering boxing, now preparing to come to Canada to face Osleys Iglesias,” says the ‘road warrior,’ ex-WBC USA champion, rightfully crowned after having fought all over the United States.
But if he were still a journalist, how would he analyze the coming clash between the Cuban Tornado and the African Assassin?
“Osleys Iglesias is the favorite and rightly so. He has a lot of momentum and has just stopped two very good boxers in the first round. Sena Agbeko, however, has much more experience and show it the ring. He will want to prove that he can do better than his last fight, but this time, he will also fight to keep his career alive…”
“I will fight for this, literally, to keep my career alive,” he reaffirms, with his fighter’s voice.
More than 12,000 kilometers separate Truckee from Accra. More than 9,000 separate Accra and Nashville, where it will return at the beginning of August. And, more than 2,000 separate Nashville from Quebec City, where “The African Assassin,” will fight Osleys Iglesias on August 17.
Let’s put it that way: Sena Agbeko travelled the world for boxing and will soon box to shock the boxing world. It’s a long road no matter what, but only a win will make it a road to redemption.
