During his first visit to Florida last August, Benin,West Africa native Anges Adjaho made quite an impression. As a contender in the Jr. Lightweight division, Adjaho was initially brought in to be a sparring partner for Nate Campbell as the Jacksonville native prepared to defend his IBF, WBA, and WBO Lightweight titles against dangerous Dominican Joan Guzman. In training camp Adjaho’s talent was instantly noticeable, as his sparring sessions with Campbell were rigorous and lively, yet after time those in the gym got to know another side of the man also known as ‘Baby Face’.
During his brief stay in the south, much was revealed about Adjaho. He talked about his early days in Africa and the contrast in culture that America represented. He talked about his early signing with Don King, which prompted his initial move to America in 2005 to the town of Orwell, Ohio. While in Orwell Adjaho would meet his future wife Christine, who would later give birth to the couple’s only child, Roberto.
As Adjaho continued to open up about his time in Orwell he spoke of his days at the Don King Training Facility as he sparred the likes of Cory Spinks, Zab Judah, and Joshua Clottey while also training alongside good friend and Heavyweight Owen Beck. Adjaho and Christine would later move to Geneva, New York to be closer to her family and that is where they still reside to this day. There more Adjaho opened up about himself the more you got the sense of a man with a truly genuine heart yet a very untrusting nature to those around him.
While Adjaho had many fond memories to discuss, he at times spoke like a man with a serious chip on his shoulder, due in large to the way his career in the ring had been panning out. At the time, Adjaho was sporting a 23-1 record with a majority of the fights taking place in the Jr. Lightweight division. The record itself wasn’t anything to be ashamed of, but what irked the flamboyant Beninian was the result of his then most recent fight, a twelve round split decision loss to Miguel Acosta in October of 2007.
“They robbed me,” Adjaho recalled of that disappointing night at the Sears Centre in Illinois. “I dropped this man two times yet the judges just take the fight from me? I could not believe it. It’s a shame what they did to me.”
Despite his frustrations over his loss and the inactivity that followed, Adjaho was still a very positive person with an immensely fresh outlook towards the world and his role within it. The African loved smiling and singing and slowly began letting his guard down while becoming more personable as his time in Florida grew. He became a gym favorite to many at Contender’s in Fort Lauderdale due to both his immense skill and his jovial personality.
Aside from helping Campbell prepare for the Guzman clash, Adjaho was preparing for a fight of his own that coming September 13th. Despite not knowing who he would initially be facing, you could tell by his mannerisms that Adjaho was aching to get back in the ring.
Despite his concern for his family back home in Geneva and his constant back and forth battles at the offices of Don King Productions over various concerns regarding his fight, Adjaho maintained a focused determination as his bout neared.
On the night of September 13th, Campbell and Adjaho had contrastingly different outcomes to their scheduled fights. Campbell received the unfortunate news that he was left without an opponent or a fight due to Guzman unprofessionally pulling out of their contest after failing to make the Lightweight limit of 135 pounds. Adjaho’s evening went much better, however, as he systematically broke down veteran Jesus Perez over the course of five rounds, with the stubborn Columbian choosing to remain on his stool for this sixth round. While the disappointment of Campbell’s situation overshadowed his success, it was still a welcome sight to see Adjaho back in the ring after nearly a year’s time away from the ring.
On the morning of September 14th, Adjaho flew back home to be with his family. He remained in touch over the next few months and talked about his desires to fight again as soon as possible. In mid October he made his way back to Ohio to train at King’s facility, despite not knowing officially when his next contest would be. Rumored bouts on the undercards of the November 8th Roy Jones-Joe Calzaghe bout and the November 27th Tomasz Adamek-Steve Cunningham showdown were said to be in the works, only to dissolve later due to problems ironing out a suitable opponent. As the boxing world seemingly moved on without him, Adjaho felt left in the cold.
“All I want to do is fight,” he said almost desperately over the phone.
After not being slated on the Adamek-Cunningham show, Adjaho returned to Geneva disgruntled, confused, and ultimately hopeless. He had no idea when he would possibly be fighting again and spoke like a man with no real control over the situation. Shortly thereafter Adjaho’s cell phone would be shut off, nullifying all contact with him.
The New Year came and went and it seemed as though Adjaho was slowly becoming just another statistic in the boxing game; a fighter with true passion and talent, who was somehow being swept under the rug.
As saddening as the whole ordeal was becoming, good news was just around the corner. In late January Adjaho would call unexpectedly and it was clear by the energy in his voice that things were looking better.
“I’m coming to Miami!” Adjaho screamed.
While Adjaho’s choppy English can be hard to understand, especially over the phone, he didn’t need to say much at all to get his message across. His happiness and exuberance was a refreshing sign and it more than made up for any language barriers that existed. Adjaho later revealed that he would be fighting on the February 14th card at the Bank Atlantic Center against tested journeyman Fernando Angulo. Ironically, the card just happened to be headlined by Campbell defending his belts against dangerous Ali Funkea.
Anges would fly in to Fort Lauderdale, Florida on January 26th, a day before his birthday. He stayed at a nearby Comfort Inn Suites that night, just a few miles from Don King’s office. While noticeably tired as he spoke over the phone, Adjaho said that he was calling it a night and urged to meet up the following day.
On his 32nd birthday, Adjaho could be found sitting at King’s offices at roughly 10 AM in the morning. From there he went to the Bank Atlantic Center in nearby Sunrise for the first official press conference for the February 14th ‘Valentine’s Day Massacre’ card.
After arriving early, Adjaho waited inside of the Atlantic Center and kept an eye out for some old friends. Upon seeing Campbell and his trainer John David Jackson making their way down the hallway, Adjaho let out a joyful shout.
“Hello champ!” Adjaho screamed to Campbell.
Always one to give Adjaho a hard time, Campbell still has always had a lot of love and respect for his fellow fighter and the two men embraced for a brief moment. Jackson paid Adjaho his dues as well and the three men walked into the conference room to begin the press conference.
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During the typically long winded Don King press conference, many of the undercard fighters for the February 14th show were introduced to the media. When his time came to speak at the podium, Adjaho didn’t hesitate to speak about his fight as well as the Campbell-Funeka showdown.
“Nate is a great friend to me,” Adjaho claimed. “But believe me Ali Funeka is a very strong African warrior. This will be no easy fight for either man”
After the press conference Campbell and Adjaho joked with one another just as they had done during the Guzman camp. The mood turned serious when Campbell mentioned Funeka, however.
“I should have realized that you knew Funeka,” Campbell said. “Figuring you guys are both from Africa. It just didn’t occur to me.”
Upon hearing Campbell’s remarks, Adjaho’s expression changed instantly and his tone got more serious.
“Nate,” Adjaho pleaded. “Ali Funeka is a strong man. This is no easy fight for you.”
“He aint got shit for me,” Campbell boldly fired back.
Upon leaving the press conference, Adjaho was starving. It was nearly 3 O’clock and he had yet to eat much that entire day. He ended up going to an all you can eat Argentinean restaurant/shop just down the street from King’s office. While the joint wasn’t the most well kept or clean place you will come across, Adjaho felt at ease.
“This reminds me of Africa,” Adjaho stated as he picked apart pork from the bone and piled away rice, beans, and salad. “I feel like I am back home.”
After finishing his meal Adjaho advised that he would be relocating further south to Miami later that night to get situated with everything surrounding his training for the Angulo fight. After somewhat of a whirlwind couple of days initially, Adjaho was beginning to again get situated in his home away from home.
A few days later Adjaho could be seen pounding away on the heavy bag at Showtime Boxing Gym in Miami, Florida in the late afternoon.
Barking out loud and firing away punches at a non-stop clip, Adjaho’s presence was felt throughout the gym. Watching Adjaho as he hit the bag was trainer Colin Morgan, who would be working with Anges for the Angulo fight.
“Adjaho is a good fighter,” Morgan admitted. “But he’s too hard headed at times. He just doesn’t listen. When we have him sparring he acts like he’s trying to kill the guy. I think that’s a bad habit he picked up from his time sparring with Zab Judah in the past.”
After hitting the heavy bag Adjaho pelted away on the speedbag and followed that up with various crunches and stretches. He finished the workout with a long duration on the jump rope and called it day.
Before heading to the dressing room to change, Adjaho took off his black bandana, revealing a surprise; A freshly shaved bald head that gave his already unique appearance a more drastic look. When asked what prompted him to cut his locks, Adjaho looked almost offended at the question.
“In America they want ten, twelve dollars just to cut your hair,” Adjaho said almost in shock. “That is too expensive, it’s ridiculous. I had to do what I had to do. Next time, I let it grow out and get braids instead.”
Following the workout Adjaho walked across the street to a Jamaican restaurant to enjoy some more of the fish that he had a day prior.
“Today I want two fish,” Adjaho told the elderly lady behind the counter.
“Are you kidding me?” the kind lady fired back. “Don’t you remember how big those fish are? They take up the whole plate! You want two of those big ol’ fish?”
“Yes,” Adjaho muttered. “You have no idea how us African mean eat! Please give me two fish.”
Covered in red tomato sauce and on top of a fresh mound of rice, Adjaho thoroughly enjoyed his coveted dinner as he picked it apart from the bones. As he plowed through his meal Adjaho bitched about not having a hotel room booked for him this camp, as he instead spent his second night just blocks away from the gym with a houseful of strangers.
“No bathroom, no electricity, and the place was dirty,” Adjaho ragged on as his face again formed a cartoonish expression. “I am a world class fighter; I can’t believe they would put me up in a place like that on my birthday. But it’s ok. Coach Morgan found me a better place to stay down the road.”
Adjaho washed down his dinner with some fresh Arizona brand fruit punch and eyed the rest of the evening.
“I would love to go to the beach tonight,” he said. “I’ve never been to the beach down here. Maybe we could go.”
Wish granted. After stopping by his apartment to drop off his belongings, Adjaho was on his way to South Beach. Bopping his head to one of his favorite artists, Akon, you could clearly see the anticipation in his face as he rode along. After struggling to find a parking space, Adjaho got out and eyed the streets. Full of color and culture, Miami, Florida can be a very welcome site to almost anyone depending on the area you are in. Adjaho was no different and took in his surroundings.
“This is a great place to walk,” Adjaho said as he approached Ocean Drive. “All these people. This is nice. Now, where do I find the beach?”
After being told to continue heading East, Adjaho walked like a man on a mission. Minutes later he found himself making his own footprints in the sand of Miami Beach.
“Awww,” the lively African echoed out. “Now this is beautiful”
Following a stressful few days and another rigorous workout at the gym, all Adjaho could do was enjoy the moment and smile.
As his fight with Angulo neared, Adjaho kept tucked away in training camp, working adherently for the contest. His evenings were spent watching television and focusing on his weight for the fight. Despite being only minutes away from several familiar faces in Fort Lauderdale, he was living in a world of his own in Miami.
His next appearance in Lauderdale came on the Wednesday before the fight, as Adjaho arrived at Top Team America for his portion of the public workout for the February 14th card.
Upon arrival, Adjaho instantly spotted his friend Noel Carbajal, also known as ‘Chico Gold’. Carbajal is an assistant trainer to Nate Campbell and worked in Adjaho’s corner during his victory over Perez in Biloxi. Both men developed a great friendship during Adjaho’s camp in fall and Carbajal was looking forward to seeing Anges after hearing he was again in South Florida. Carbajal was in a discussion with Allan Green and Dyah Ali Davis ringside inside of the gym as Adjaho snuck up behind him.
‘Chico!’ the buoyant African screamed as he attempted to put his friend in a head lock. After turning around, Carbajal grinned and gave his good friend a hug. They talked about Adjaho’s upcoming fight and Carbajal made sure to ask if everything was alright.
Minutes later Adjaho and Morgan took to the ring for their portion of the open workout. Working under Morgan’s command, Adjaho went to work with his Guyanese trainer on the mitts.
Combining fluid speed, an unorthodox style, and ambidextrous movement, Adjaho is like no other fighter you will come across when he is on top of his game. Despite having his flaws and being stubborn as an ox, his talent is undeniable.
“I like how that boy gets down,” Green observed from ringside. “See the way he fires that right hand? He’s got a little Allan Green in him. That’s a bad boy right there.”
After his workout was complete Adjaho said his goodbyes and made sure to catch up with everyone a few days later at the weigh in.
On February 13th, the day of his weigh in, Adjaho was again all smiles as he walked around the Bank Atlantic Center lobby. On a twelve bout card that featured the likes of Campbell, Funeka, Sergio Martinez, Kermit Cintron, Alfredo Angulo, Francisco Palacios, and others, Adjaho was a just a face in the crowd and drew no special attention.
Weighing in at 142 ½ pounds, Adjaho came in perhaps the heaviest ever for his career. Angulo himself came in at 141 ½ pounds, a far cry from his contending days as a Lighweight. As is his nature, instead of attempting to stare down his opponent or stir up any menacing acts, Adjaho simply embraced Angulo as if to say ‘May the best man win.”
The night of the fight Adjaho shared a dressing room with fellow undercard fighters Angelo Santana and John ‘Action Jackson’, two undefeated and talented prospects. Being the sixth scheduled bout out of twelve fights, Adjaho simply bided his time as the evening rolled along. Slyly smiling, Adjaho was within himself and content.
“I’m ready to go,” Adjaho said calmly as he sat in his chair. At this moment he was wearing a black and red hoodie and had yet to have his hands wrap or put on his outfit. He was still a few hours away from stepping into the ring. Usually hyper and upbeat, at this moment Adjaho’s demeanor was a striking contrast as he was subdued and calm.
The undercard bouts rolled on. Highly touted Olympian Gary Russell Jr., Heavyweight contender Ray Austin, and Jackson all won their bouts by decision as Adjaho’s time neared. As Heavyweights Bermane Stiverne and Robert Hawkins engaged in action, Anges began to loosen up.
Wearing a green, gold, and red outfit that represented the colors of his country, Adjaho looked sharp. As the fifth round of the Stiverne-Hawkins bout came near, Morgan motioned for Adjaho to get up and begin their warm up.
Adjaho hit the mitts loosely and freely under Morgan’s command. As his comfort level grew, Adjaho began singing African chants to put himself even more at ease. Moments later Carbajal and Green stopped by the dressing room to wish Adjaho good luck. ‘I’m ready to go, Chico,’ Adjaho said with a wide grin.
Adjaho would begin his walk to the ring around 8:30 P.M. His moment had finally come and he was face to face with Angulo. The bell rang for round one and both men sized each other up. The action was slow at first and neither man seemed to have a clear edge.
In the second Adjaho began to his groove and began finding a home with his right hand. Angulo is a rugged customer and may be a bit limited, but he wasn’t leaving his deficiencies on display nearly enough to let Adjaho put on a stellar performance.
For all of his talent he has shown in the gym, Adjaho’s stubborn and sometimes arrogant nature can work against him in the ring. Many times against Angulo he dropped his hands and often enough he wasn’t busy enough to leave a lasting imprint on the fight. In Campbell’s dressing room his entire team was watching the fight and urging Adjaho to tighten up his defense and step up his workrate.
In the fifth round Adjaho began to show serious signs of life and started to take command of the fight. A crashing right hand would send Angulo to the ropes and Adjaho would open up his attack. While Angulo was able to survive, it was evident that Adjaho was in control of the contest.
In the middle of the sixth round, Don King Productions’ own Dana Jamison walked over and pleaded with Morgan to tell Adjaho to keep his hands up and stop fooling around. Morgan seemed more content on keeping an eye on his fighter and just nodded his head.
As the fight came to a close there weren’t any fireworks to mention. The bout went to the scorecards and it seemed clear that Adjaho would be the man on top. Scores of 79-72, and 78-73 twice were read in the African’s favor and many people let out a sigh of relief. While not overly impressive, Adjaho had done what he came to do; Win.
As he walked back to his dressing room Adjaho received congratulations from many. King’s people were nervous during his fight but happy afterwards. Like a rollercoaster marriage, King’s company and Adjaho have their up and down moments, but February 14th was a great night for them both.
After changing and exiting his dressing room, Adjaho stepped out to enjoy the rest of the evening’s fights. He watched from ringside as Alfredo Angulo buzz sawed through Cosme Rivera with Kermit Cintron and Sergio Martinez fighting to a disputed draw one bout later. Adjaho also intently paid close attention to the main event of the night as Campbell and Funeka put on a spirited effort, with Campbell walking away with a decision win based on the strength of two knockdowns.
With his hanging low as he walked back to his dressing room, Funeka was greeted by Adjaho, who embraced his friend and told him passionately how proud he was of his effort despite not winning. Adjaho also gave congratulations to Campbell amid the whirlwind of the post fight festivities. With the time now creeping closer to 2 AM however, it was time for Adjaho to leave.
“My flight is getting ready to leave. I’ve got to go back to New York…right now.”
Like a leaf in the blowing wind, Adjaho was gone moments later.
Over the past few weeks Adjaho has remained in touch and he is upbeat about what his future holds inside of the squared circle. He is tentatively schedule to fight on the March 28th Cory Spinks-Deandre Latimore undercard against an opponent to be named.
“I’m going to be fighting in St. Louis,” Adjaho claims. “I don’t know who yet but I am ready to fight anybody at 135 pounds. I am going to be coming back to Florida soon and I can’t wait to fight again.”
Anges Adjaho is a character unlike any other and he has found a second home down in Florida. During his brief visits to the Sunshine state he has displayed a great hunger towards his craft and a passion towards life that is rarely matched. Despite going through many trying moments in recent months, Adjaho is pleased with where his career is at.
“Things are good for me. As long as I am fighting I am happy. Right now… everything is beautiful.”
Questions and Comments can be sent to Chris at Trimond@aol.com
