Innocent Anyanwu
Encyclopedia
Innocent Anyanwu is a Dutch
professional boxer from Amsterdam
, Netherlands
. He currently holds the Dutch
and BeNeLux
Super Featherweight
titles.
, Imo State
, Nigeria
.
When he was 12 his mother died and Innocent quit school. Shortly thereafter he started to work as a carmechanic in his brother's garage. However he had a dream to practise sports in Germany
, even though he did not knew which sport.
He left Nigeria
when he was 16 and went to Cameroon
without a passport
because he did not have one. Once in Cameroon (a French
-speaking country), the language barrier proved a problem. Still, after that he went to another French speaking country, Gabon
, where a brother of his was living.
Through German
tourists he learned that he needed several visas in order to compete in sports there. Because he did not even have a passport, he never tried to head to Germany.
career in Amsterdam
, the Netherlands
in 2001. After promising his trainer Martin Jansen total dedication to the sport, an intense training regime started and the cooperation continued until today. After three months Innocent participated in his first boxing match which he won. The victory parade of Innocent continued through the amateur ranks in national and international boxing matches in The Netherlands. Innocent fought against boxers from not only the Netherlands but also from Belgium
, Russia
and Germany
. With only 3 losses (early in his boxing career) in 36 contests, and many wins by (T)KO, Innocent wanted to represent the Netherlands at the Olympics
in Athens
but was denied because he did not hold Dutch
nationality. Innocent then went back to his native country Nigeria
where he captured the national amateur title and Champion of Champions trophy at super-featherweight. That enabled Innocent to return to the Netherlands and reunite in 2005 with his long time boxing trainer Martin Jansen to continue his professional boxing career.
In 2005, Innocent made his pro debut. He fought 20 times up to October 2009 in and outside the Netherlands and never lost a fight. Because of his unbelievable intensity as a boxer-fighter, he captured not only the Dutch national and smaller European (BeNeLux) crown, but also the hearts of the people of the BeNeLux. Innocent's goal is to support his people in Ekwerazu, Nigeria through his boxing career. His results as a sportsman and social human being were awarded by the Dutch Queen with a Dutch passport, which enables him to participate on short notice in a Europe
an championship fight.
Innocent is ranked in September 2009 as the no. 1 with the ABU (African Boxing Union), the no. 40 with the WBC (World Boxing Council
) and in Europe (EBU/EU and EBA) ranked as a official challenger for the European crown.
From the start of 2010 Martin Jansen stopped working as the trainer for Innocent, but Raymond Joval stepped in as the new trainer.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#A9A9A9" | Record
|- valign="top"
|
Innocent Anyanwu (born 25 September 1982) is a Dutch
professional boxer from Amsterdam
, Netherlands
. He currently holds the Dutch
and BeNeLux
Super Featherweight
titles.
, Imo State
, Nigeria
.
When he was 12 his mother died and Innocent quit school. Shortly thereafter he started to work as a carmechanic in his brother's garage. However he had a dream to practise sports in Germany
, even though he did not knew which sport.
He left Nigeria
when he was 16 and went to Cameroon
without a passport
because he did not have one. Once in Cameroon (a French
-speaking country), the language barrier proved a problem. Still, after that he went to another French speaking country, Gabon
, where a brother of his was living.
Through German
tourists he learned that he needed several visas in order to compete in sports there. Because he did not even have a passport, he never tried to head to Germany.
career in Amsterdam
, the Netherlands
in 2001. After promising his trainer Martin Jansen total dedication to the sport, an intense training regime started and the cooperation continued until today. After three months Innocent participated in his first boxing match which he won. The victory parade of Innocent continued through the amateur ranks in national and international boxing matches in The Netherlands. Innocent fought against boxers from not only the Netherlands but also from Belgium
, Russia
and Germany
. With only 3 losses (early in his boxing career) in 36 contests, and many wins by (T)KO, Innocent wanted to represent the Netherlands at the Olympics
in Athens
but was denied because he did not hold Dutch
nationality. Innocent then went back to his native country Nigeria
where he captured the national amateur title and Champion of Champions trophy at super-featherweight. That enabled Innocent to return to the Netherlands and reunite in 2005 with his long time boxing trainer Martin Jansen to continue his professional boxing career.
In 2005, Innocent made his pro debut. He fought 20 times up to October 2009 in and outside the Netherlands and never lost a fight. Because of his unbelievable intensity as a boxer-fighter, he captured not only the Dutch national and smaller European (BeNeLux) crown, but also the hearts of the people of the BeNeLux. Innocent's goal is to support his people in Ekwerazu, Nigeria through his boxing career. His results as a sportsman and social human being were awarded by the Dutch Queen with a Dutch passport, which enables him to participate on short notice in a Europe
an championship fight.
Innocent is ranked in September 2009 as the no. 1 with the ABU (African Boxing Union), the no. 40 with the WBC (World Boxing Council
) and in Europe (EBU/EU and EBA) ranked as a official challenger for the European crown.
From the start of 2010 Martin Jansen stopped working as the trainer for Innocent, but Raymond Joval stepped in as the new trainer.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#A9A9A9" | Record
|- valign="top"
|
Innocent Anyanwu (born 25 September 1982) is a Dutch
professional boxer from Amsterdam
, Netherlands
. He currently holds the Dutch
and BeNeLux
Super Featherweight
titles.
, Imo State
, Nigeria
.
When he was 12 his mother died and Innocent quit school. Shortly thereafter he started to work as a carmechanic in his brother's garage. However he had a dream to practise sports in Germany
, even though he did not knew which sport.
He left Nigeria
when he was 16 and went to Cameroon
without a passport
because he did not have one. Once in Cameroon (a French
-speaking country), the language barrier proved a problem. Still, after that he went to another French speaking country, Gabon
, where a brother of his was living.
Through German
tourists he learned that he needed several visas in order to compete in sports there. Because he did not even have a passport, he never tried to head to Germany.
career in Amsterdam
, the Netherlands
in 2001. After promising his trainer Martin Jansen total dedication to the sport, an intense training regime started and the cooperation continued until today. After three months Innocent participated in his first boxing match which he won. The victory parade of Innocent continued through the amateur ranks in national and international boxing matches in The Netherlands. Innocent fought against boxers from not only the Netherlands but also from Belgium
, Russia
and Germany
. With only 3 losses (early in his boxing career) in 36 contests, and many wins by (T)KO, Innocent wanted to represent the Netherlands at the Olympics
in Athens
but was denied because he did not hold Dutch
nationality. Innocent then went back to his native country Nigeria
where he captured the national amateur title and Champion of Champions trophy at super-featherweight. That enabled Innocent to return to the Netherlands and reunite in 2005 with his long time boxing trainer Martin Jansen to continue his professional boxing career.
In 2005, Innocent made his pro debut. He fought 20 times up to October 2009 in and outside the Netherlands and never lost a fight. Because of his unbelievable intensity as a boxer-fighter, he captured not only the Dutch national and smaller European (BeNeLux) crown, but also the hearts of the people of the BeNeLux. Innocent's goal is to support his people in Ekwerazu, Nigeria through his boxing career. His results as a sportsman and social human being were awarded by the Dutch Queen with a Dutch passport, which enables him to participate on short notice in a Europe
an championship fight.
Innocent is ranked in September 2009 as the no. 1 with the ABU (African Boxing Union), the no. 40 with the WBC (World Boxing Council
) and in Europe (EBU/EU and EBA) ranked as a official challenger for the European crown.
From the start of 2010 Martin Jansen stopped working as the trainer for Innocent, but Raymond Joval stepped in as the new trainer.
|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#A9A9A9" | Record
|- valign="top"
|
{|class="wikitable" width="100%"
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" style="font-size:80%; text-align:left; width:99%;"
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Result
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Record
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Location
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes
|-
|
|14-3-0
|
Simone Califano
|
|align="center"| 2010-10-18
|
Carré, Amsterdam
|
|-
|Loss
|21-8-2
|
Antonio João Bento
|KO10
|align="center"| 2010-05-16
| Hilversum, Netherlands
| Vacant EBA super featherweight
title
|-
|Win
|0-8-0
|
Tahir Celic
|RTD 4
|align="center"| 2009-11-28
| Hoyer's Gym, Heerlen
|
|-
|Win
|21-3-0
|
Sergio Palomo
|TKO 3
|align="center"| 2009-10-26
| Carré, Amsterdam
|
|-
|Win
|14–3-0
|
Herve De Luca
|TKO 3
|align="center"| 2009-04-19
| Bussum
|De Luca down twice in round 2, and once in round 3.
|-
|style="background: #c5d2ea"|Draw
|14–4-0
| Hovhannes Zhamkochyan
|MD 10
|align="center"| 2008-12-25
| Izegem, West-Vlaanderen
|BeNeLux
lightweight title
|-
|Win
|7–2-0
| Karen Boyadjyan
|TKO 6
|align="center"| 2008-11-01
| Izegem, West-Vlaanderen
|Defended BeNeLux
super featherweight title
|-
|Win
|10–3-0
|
Mhand Boukedim
|TKO 6
|align="center"| 2008-10-13
| Carré, Amsterdam
|align="center"|
|-
|Win
|4–4-1
| Nico Schroeder
|TKO 3
|align="center"| 2008-09-20
| Rotterdam
|
|-
|Win
|6–32-0
|
Zsolt Botos
|KO 3
|align="center"| 2008-05-12
| Deinze, Oost-Vlaanderen
|
|-
|Win
|0–12-0
| Pascal Bouchez
|UD 6
|align="center"| 2008-04-19
| Rotterdam
|
|-
|Win
|9–2-0
| Araik Sachbazjan
|UD 10
|align="center"| 2008-04-13
| Den Haag
|Won vacant Dutch super featherweight title
|-
|Win
|0–4-0
|
Felician Trif
|TKO 2
|align="center"| 2008-02-17
| Den Haag
|
|-
|Win
|5–9-0
| Younes Amrani
|UD 8
|align="center"| 2007-06-09
| Antwerp
|
|-
|Win
|9–0-1
| Herve De Luca
|KO 7
|align="center"| 2007-05-01
| Bruges, West-Vlaanderen
|Won vacant BeNeLux super featherweight title
|-
|Win
|5–10-0
|
Lubos Priehradnik
|PTS 8
|align="center"| 2006-12-16
| Bruxelles-Capitale
|
|-
|Win
|9–40-0
|
Bela Sandor
|PTS 6
|align="center"| 2006-09-30
| Stadskanaal
|
|-
|Win
|1–10-0
| Josef Holub
|KO 5
|align="center"| 2006-05-20
| Purmerend
|Holub not able to beat the count after a body-shot. No suspension required by the doctor.
|-
|style="background: #c5d2ea"|Draw
|4-4-2
| Erik Nazarian
|PTS 8
|align="center"| 2006-05-01
| Bruges, West-Vlaanderen
|77-75 76-77 76-76
|-
|Win
|0–5-0
| Zsolt Botos
|PTS 6
|align="center"| 2006-09-30
| Barneveld
|
|-
|Win
|0–1-0
| Josef Holub
| PTS 4
|align="center"| 2006-02-25
| Spakenburg
|Referee: Hennie De Rijk 40-37
|-
|Win
|3–0
| Daniel Chitu
|TKO 3
|align="center"| 2005-11-12
| Helmond
|
|-
|Win
|2–0
| Chad Bisschop
|PTS 6
|align="center"| 2005-11-12
| Amersfoort
|Referee: Hennie De Rijk 59-56
|-
|Win
|0-1–0
| Tomas Berki
|align="center"| TKO 2
|align="center"| 2005-10-01
| Hilversum
|align="center"|
|-
|}
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
professional boxer from Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He currently holds the Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
and BeNeLux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
Super Featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
titles.
Biography
Innocent has a remarkable life story. He was born in EkwerazuEkwerazu
Ekwerazu is a village in Nigeria in the province of Imo State.Dutch professional boxer Innocent Anyanwu was born here....
, Imo State
Imo State
Imo State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria and lies to the south of Nigeria with Owerri as its capital and largest city.-History:Imo State came into existence in 1976 along with other new states created under the leadership of the late military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammad, having been...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
When he was 12 his mother died and Innocent quit school. Shortly thereafter he started to work as a carmechanic in his brother's garage. However he had a dream to practise sports in 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...
, even though he did not knew which sport.
He left Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
when he was 16 and went to Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
without a passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
because he did not have one. Once in Cameroon (a French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking country), the language barrier proved a problem. Still, after that he went to another French speaking country, Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, where a brother of his was living.
Through German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
tourists he learned that he needed several visas in order to compete in sports there. Because he did not even have a passport, he never tried to head to Germany.
Boxing career
Innocent started his boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
career in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 2001. After promising his trainer Martin Jansen total dedication to the sport, an intense training regime started and the cooperation continued until today. After three months Innocent participated in his first boxing match which he won. The victory parade of Innocent continued through the amateur ranks in national and international boxing matches in The Netherlands. Innocent fought against boxers from not only the Netherlands but also from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and 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...
. With only 3 losses (early in his boxing career) in 36 contests, and many wins by (T)KO, Innocent wanted to represent the Netherlands at the Olympics
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
but was denied because he did not hold Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
nationality. Innocent then went back to his native country Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
where he captured the national amateur title and Champion of Champions trophy at super-featherweight. That enabled Innocent to return to the Netherlands and reunite in 2005 with his long time boxing trainer Martin Jansen to continue his professional boxing career.
In 2005, Innocent made his pro debut. He fought 20 times up to October 2009 in and outside the Netherlands and never lost a fight. Because of his unbelievable intensity as a boxer-fighter, he captured not only the Dutch national and smaller European (BeNeLux) crown, but also the hearts of the people of the BeNeLux. Innocent's goal is to support his people in Ekwerazu, Nigeria through his boxing career. His results as a sportsman and social human being were awarded by the Dutch Queen with a Dutch passport, which enables him to participate on short notice in a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an championship fight.
Innocent is ranked in September 2009 as the no. 1 with the ABU (African Boxing Union), the no. 40 with the WBC (World Boxing Council
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...
) and in Europe (EBU/EU and EBA) ranked as a official challenger for the European crown.
From the start of 2010 Martin Jansen stopped working as the trainer for Innocent, but Raymond Joval stepped in as the new trainer.
Professional boxing record
{| class="toccolours" width=100% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#A9A9A9" | Record
|- valign="top"
|
Innocent Anyanwu (born 25 September 1982) is a Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
professional boxer from Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He currently holds the Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
and BeNeLux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
Super Featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
titles.
Biography
Innocent has a remarkable life story. He was born in EkwerazuEkwerazu
Ekwerazu is a village in Nigeria in the province of Imo State.Dutch professional boxer Innocent Anyanwu was born here....
, Imo State
Imo State
Imo State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria and lies to the south of Nigeria with Owerri as its capital and largest city.-History:Imo State came into existence in 1976 along with other new states created under the leadership of the late military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammad, having been...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
When he was 12 his mother died and Innocent quit school. Shortly thereafter he started to work as a carmechanic in his brother's garage. However he had a dream to practise sports in 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...
, even though he did not knew which sport.
He left Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
when he was 16 and went to Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
without a passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
because he did not have one. Once in Cameroon (a French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking country), the language barrier proved a problem. Still, after that he went to another French speaking country, Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, where a brother of his was living.
Through German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
tourists he learned that he needed several visas in order to compete in sports there. Because he did not even have a passport, he never tried to head to Germany.
Boxing career
Innocent started his boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
career in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 2001. After promising his trainer Martin Jansen total dedication to the sport, an intense training regime started and the cooperation continued until today. After three months Innocent participated in his first boxing match which he won. The victory parade of Innocent continued through the amateur ranks in national and international boxing matches in The Netherlands. Innocent fought against boxers from not only the Netherlands but also from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and 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...
. With only 3 losses (early in his boxing career) in 36 contests, and many wins by (T)KO, Innocent wanted to represent the Netherlands at the Olympics
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
but was denied because he did not hold Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
nationality. Innocent then went back to his native country Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
where he captured the national amateur title and Champion of Champions trophy at super-featherweight. That enabled Innocent to return to the Netherlands and reunite in 2005 with his long time boxing trainer Martin Jansen to continue his professional boxing career.
In 2005, Innocent made his pro debut. He fought 20 times up to October 2009 in and outside the Netherlands and never lost a fight. Because of his unbelievable intensity as a boxer-fighter, he captured not only the Dutch national and smaller European (BeNeLux) crown, but also the hearts of the people of the BeNeLux. Innocent's goal is to support his people in Ekwerazu, Nigeria through his boxing career. His results as a sportsman and social human being were awarded by the Dutch Queen with a Dutch passport, which enables him to participate on short notice in a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an championship fight.
Innocent is ranked in September 2009 as the no. 1 with the ABU (African Boxing Union), the no. 40 with the WBC (World Boxing Council
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...
) and in Europe (EBU/EU and EBA) ranked as a official challenger for the European crown.
From the start of 2010 Martin Jansen stopped working as the trainer for Innocent, but Raymond Joval stepped in as the new trainer.
Professional boxing record
{| class="toccolours" width=100% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#A9A9A9" | Record
|- valign="top"
|
Innocent Anyanwu (born 25 September 1982) is a Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
professional boxer from Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
. He currently holds the Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
and BeNeLux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
Super Featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
titles.
Biography
Innocent has a remarkable life story. He was born in EkwerazuEkwerazu
Ekwerazu is a village in Nigeria in the province of Imo State.Dutch professional boxer Innocent Anyanwu was born here....
, Imo State
Imo State
Imo State is one of the 36 states of Nigeria and lies to the south of Nigeria with Owerri as its capital and largest city.-History:Imo State came into existence in 1976 along with other new states created under the leadership of the late military ruler of Nigeria, Murtala Muhammad, having been...
, Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
.
When he was 12 his mother died and Innocent quit school. Shortly thereafter he started to work as a carmechanic in his brother's garage. However he had a dream to practise sports in 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...
, even though he did not knew which sport.
He left Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
when he was 16 and went to Cameroon
Cameroon
Cameroon, officially the Republic of Cameroon , is a country in west Central Africa. It is bordered by Nigeria to the west; Chad to the northeast; the Central African Republic to the east; and Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of the Congo to the south. Cameroon's coastline lies on the...
without a passport
Passport
A passport is a document, issued by a national government, which certifies, for the purpose of international travel, the identity and nationality of its holder. The elements of identity are name, date of birth, sex, and place of birth....
because he did not have one. Once in Cameroon (a French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
-speaking country), the language barrier proved a problem. Still, after that he went to another French speaking country, Gabon
Gabon
Gabon , officially the Gabonese Republic is a state in west central Africa sharing borders with Equatorial Guinea to the northwest, Cameroon to the north, and with the Republic of the Congo curving around the east and south. The Gulf of Guinea, an arm of the Atlantic Ocean is to the west...
, where a brother of his was living.
Through German
Germans
The Germans are a Germanic ethnic group native to Central Europe. The English term Germans has referred to the German-speaking population of the Holy Roman Empire since the Late Middle Ages....
tourists he learned that he needed several visas in order to compete in sports there. Because he did not even have a passport, he never tried to head to Germany.
Boxing career
Innocent started his boxingBoxing
Boxing, also called pugilism, is a combat sport in which two people fight each other using their fists. Boxing is supervised by a referee over a series of between one to three minute intervals called rounds...
career in Amsterdam
Amsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
, the Netherlands
Netherlands
The Netherlands is a constituent country of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, located mainly in North-West Europe and with several islands in the Caribbean. Mainland Netherlands borders the North Sea to the north and west, Belgium to the south, and Germany to the east, and shares maritime borders...
in 2001. After promising his trainer Martin Jansen total dedication to the sport, an intense training regime started and the cooperation continued until today. After three months Innocent participated in his first boxing match which he won. The victory parade of Innocent continued through the amateur ranks in national and international boxing matches in The Netherlands. Innocent fought against boxers from not only the Netherlands but also from Belgium
Belgium
Belgium , officially the Kingdom of Belgium, is a federal state in Western Europe. It is a founding member of the European Union and hosts the EU's headquarters, and those of several other major international organisations such as NATO.Belgium is also a member of, or affiliated to, many...
, Russia
Russia
Russia or , officially known as both Russia and the Russian Federation , is a country in northern Eurasia. It is a federal semi-presidential republic, comprising 83 federal subjects...
and 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...
. With only 3 losses (early in his boxing career) in 36 contests, and many wins by (T)KO, Innocent wanted to represent the Netherlands at the Olympics
Summer Olympic Games
The Summer Olympic Games or the Games of the Olympiad are an international multi-sport event, occurring every four years, organized by the International Olympic Committee. Medals are awarded in each event, with gold medals for first place, silver for second and bronze for third, a tradition that...
in Athens
Athens
Athens , is the capital and largest city of Greece. Athens dominates the Attica region and is one of the world's oldest cities, as its recorded history spans around 3,400 years. Classical Athens was a powerful city-state...
but was denied because he did not hold Dutch
Dutch people
The Dutch people are an ethnic group native to the Netherlands. They share a common culture and speak the Dutch language. Dutch people and their descendants are found in migrant communities worldwide, notably in Suriname, Chile, Brazil, Canada, Australia, South Africa, New Zealand, and the United...
nationality. Innocent then went back to his native country Nigeria
Nigeria
Nigeria , officially the Federal Republic of Nigeria, is a federal constitutional republic comprising 36 states and its Federal Capital Territory, Abuja. The country is located in West Africa and shares land borders with the Republic of Benin in the west, Chad and Cameroon in the east, and Niger in...
where he captured the national amateur title and Champion of Champions trophy at super-featherweight. That enabled Innocent to return to the Netherlands and reunite in 2005 with his long time boxing trainer Martin Jansen to continue his professional boxing career.
In 2005, Innocent made his pro debut. He fought 20 times up to October 2009 in and outside the Netherlands and never lost a fight. Because of his unbelievable intensity as a boxer-fighter, he captured not only the Dutch national and smaller European (BeNeLux) crown, but also the hearts of the people of the BeNeLux. Innocent's goal is to support his people in Ekwerazu, Nigeria through his boxing career. His results as a sportsman and social human being were awarded by the Dutch Queen with a Dutch passport, which enables him to participate on short notice in a Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
an championship fight.
Innocent is ranked in September 2009 as the no. 1 with the ABU (African Boxing Union), the no. 40 with the WBC (World Boxing Council
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...
) and in Europe (EBU/EU and EBA) ranked as a official challenger for the European crown.
From the start of 2010 Martin Jansen stopped working as the trainer for Innocent, but Raymond Joval stepped in as the new trainer.
Professional boxing record
{| class="toccolours" width=100% style="clear:both; margin:1.5em auto; text-align:center;"|-
! colspan=2 style="background:#A9A9A9" | Record
|- valign="top"
|
20 Wins (13 KO), 1 Loss, 2 Draws
{|class="wikitable" width="100%"
{| class="wikitable sortable" border="1" style="font-size:80%; text-align:left; width:99%;"
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Result
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Record
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Opponent
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Date
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Location
!style="border-style: none none solid solid; background: #e3e3e3"|Notes
|-
|
|14-3-0
|
Simone Califano|
|align="center"| 2010-10-18
|
Carré, Amsterdam|
|-
|Loss
|21-8-2
|
Antonio João Bento|KO10
|align="center"| 2010-05-16
|
Hilversum, Netherlands| Vacant EBA super featherweight
Super Featherweight
Super featherweight is a weight division in professional boxing. The maximum weight for this division is 130 pounds or 59 kilograms....
title
|-
|Win
|0-8-0
|
Tahir Celic|RTD 4
|align="center"| 2009-11-28
|
Hoyer's Gym, HeerlenHeerlen
Heerlen is a city and a municipality in the southeastern Netherlands. The municipality is the second largest in the province of Limburg. It forms part of Parkstad Limburg, , an agglomeration of about 220,000 inhabitants.After its early Roman beginnings and a rather modest medieval period, Heerlen...
|
|-
|Win
|21-3-0
|
Sergio Palomo|TKO 3
|align="center"| 2009-10-26
|
Carré, AmsterdamAmsterdam
Amsterdam is the largest city and the capital of the Netherlands. The current position of Amsterdam as capital city of the Kingdom of the Netherlands is governed by the constitution of August 24, 1815 and its successors. Amsterdam has a population of 783,364 within city limits, an urban population...
|
|-
|Win
|14–3-0
|
Herve De Luca|TKO 3
|align="center"| 2009-04-19
|
Bussum|De Luca down twice in round 2, and once in round 3.
|-
|style="background: #c5d2ea"|Draw
|14–4-0
|
Hovhannes Zhamkochyan|MD 10
|align="center"| 2008-12-25
|
Izegem, West-Vlaanderen|BeNeLux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
lightweight title
|-
|Win
|7–2-0
|
Karen Boyadjyan|TKO 6
|align="center"| 2008-11-01
|
Izegem, West-Vlaanderen|Defended BeNeLux
Benelux
The Benelux is an economic union in Western Europe comprising three neighbouring countries, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Luxembourg. These countries are located in northwestern Europe between France and Germany...
super featherweight title
|-
|Win
|10–3-0
|
Mhand Boukedim|TKO 6
|align="center"| 2008-10-13
|
Carré, Amsterdam|align="center"|
|-
|Win
|4–4-1
|
Nico Schroeder|TKO 3
|align="center"| 2008-09-20
|
Rotterdam|
|-
|Win
|6–32-0
|
Zsolt Botos|KO 3
|align="center"| 2008-05-12
|
Deinze, Oost-Vlaanderen|
|-
|Win
|0–12-0
|
Pascal Bouchez|UD 6
|align="center"| 2008-04-19
|
RotterdamRotterdam
Rotterdam is the second-largest city in the Netherlands and one of the largest ports in the world. Starting as a dam on the Rotte river, Rotterdam has grown into a major international commercial centre...
|
|-
|Win
|9–2-0
|
Araik Sachbazjan|UD 10
|align="center"| 2008-04-13
|
Den Haag|Won vacant Dutch super featherweight title
|-
|Win
|0–4-0
|
Felician Trif|TKO 2
|align="center"| 2008-02-17
|
Den Haag|
|-
|Win
|5–9-0
|
Younes Amrani|UD 8
|align="center"| 2007-06-09
|
Antwerp|
|-
|Win
|9–0-1
|
Herve De Luca|KO 7
|align="center"| 2007-05-01
|
Bruges, West-Vlaanderen|Won vacant BeNeLux super featherweight title
|-
|Win
|5–10-0
|
Lubos Priehradnik|PTS 8
|align="center"| 2006-12-16
|
Bruxelles-Capitale|
|-
|Win
|9–40-0
|
Bela Sandor|PTS 6
|align="center"| 2006-09-30
|
Stadskanaal|
|-
|Win
|1–10-0
|
Josef Holub|KO 5
|align="center"| 2006-05-20
|
Purmerend|Holub not able to beat the count after a body-shot. No suspension required by the doctor.
|-
|style="background: #c5d2ea"|Draw
|4-4-2
|
Erik Nazarian|PTS 8
|align="center"| 2006-05-01
|
Bruges, West-Vlaanderen|77-75 76-77 76-76
|-
|Win
|0–5-0
|
Zsolt Botos|PTS 6
|align="center"| 2006-09-30
|
Barneveld|
|-
|Win
|0–1-0
|
Josef Holub| PTS 4
|align="center"| 2006-02-25
|
Spakenburg|Referee: Hennie De Rijk 40-37
|-
|Win
|3–0
|
Daniel Chitu|TKO 3
|align="center"| 2005-11-12
|
Helmond|
|-
|Win
|2–0
|
Chad Bisschop|PTS 6
|align="center"| 2005-11-12
|
Amersfoort|Referee: Hennie De Rijk 59-56
|-
|Win
|0-1–0
|
Tomas Berki|align="center"| TKO 2
|align="center"| 2005-10-01
|
Hilversum|align="center"|
|-
|}
External links
See also
- :Category:Boxing
- :Category:Amateur boxing
