Prince Bob Alagoro, 66, is a retired boxing champion. He last threw a punch in a competitive fight in 2000, when he knocked out Lookman Saeed to reclaim the national Super middleweight title. Twenty three years after retirement, the former champion wants a return to the ring. He spoke withI started boxing in 1977. In 1980 I became Lagos state champion. In 1981 I represented the state at a national championship where I emerged as the national champion.
Everybody thought the bigger boxer was going to kill me. I made a vow to God that if I won the fight I would quit boxing but if I lost in front of my teeming fans, including NIPOST staff who thronged the venue to support me, then I would kill myself. I knocked him out in Round 9 and I called it quits from boxing in 2000.
My most memorable fight is against Lookman Saeed. He knocked me out in Round 11 and took my belt. When he took my belt, I smiled and promised I would reclaim my belt from him. No one believed me. Then I was still single. Before the fight I had a girl who was four months pregnant for me. I promised her that after the fight we would marry. Lookman knocked me out and took my belt. So I said I would not marry again. The girl too was crying.