YOHNNY PEREZ better start looking over his shoulder because ?King Kong? is hungry and hunting down the Colombian.
That monstrous middle name was given to Joseph Agbeko by his father at birth and now he wants stomp on everyone in his way from bantamweight to featherweight.
The Ghanaian lost his IBF bantamweight title to Perez in a thrilling contest last Halloween. And whilst the defeat was a nightmare for Agbeko he wants to regain what he feels is rightfully his. ?When I fought him [Perez] I beat myself because I wasn?t prepared properly,? he claims. ?I took the fight at six weeks? notice which wasn?t fair to me, the champion at the time. I want [Yohnny] Perez to beat [Abner] Mares when they fight this month. I?ll be there for the fight and when Perez wins I want to fight him by the autumn of this year.?
It is no foregone conclusion that the current champion will beat the unbeaten Mares in what will be a thrilling night?s boxing headlined by the fourth bout between Israel Vazquez and Rafael Marquez on May 22. But for Agbeko the defeat he suffered may work to his advantage as he vows not make the same mistakes as last time, one of which was underestimating his challenger. ?He [Perez] worked hard to get into position to fight me but I did not think there was much of a threat,? Agbeko admits. ?A lot of things worked against me including the referee. I told him that Perez was headbutting me but he did nothing about it.?
Agbeko had hoped to return to the ring sooner but a proposed IBF title eliminator against fellow African, Vusi Malinga, fell through for reasons unknown to him. For now he is prepared to sit and wait as he sees a rematch with Perez as the beginning of greater things for him. ?After I beat Perez I want a unification fight with [WBC king] Fernando Montiel and then once I?ve cleaned up the bantamweight division I want to move up to featherweight. When I?m 100 per cent none of them can beat me,? he declares.
Despite being interested in football, Agbeko got into boxing at 10 years old. Soon his passion for the sport took over and he knew that the square ring was where he belonged. Fighting in various parts of Africa for three years since his professional debut in 1998 Agbeko was taken out of his comfort zone when he travelled overseas for the first time, to Britain, when he fought Sabrin Bernei in his 19th contest. ?Fighting outside of Africa for the first time was a great stress for me,? he recalls. ?You get used to fighting in front of your people. But the fight in London turned out to be a good one for me because I won by stoppage. One day I hope my promoter can get me another fight in the UK.?
His travels across the world included a stop-off in Germany to fight former world title challenger Wladimir Sidorenko in 2004. Like many a fighter who has travelled to the motherland he knew he would have to go for the knockout but the result was an upsetting one for him. ?The one clear thing that I can remember about the Sidorenko fight is that I won! They took it away from me. I have watched the tape of the fight over and over and I don?t know how they gave it to him. That loss really affected me, I cried all night,? he confesses. ?The judges took it away from me. I would fight in Germany again but I would not let the result be decided by someone else.?
After that crushing blow it would be three years before Joseph would achieve the first half of his dream. Despite collecting a Commonwealth title along the way it would be his second fight in America, against Luis Perez, which would prove a fonder memory for Agebko than his trip to Germany. ?That night when I was in the ring with Perez I knew I would win but I didn?t think that would happen because of the doctor stopping the fight. I soon realised I was a different person when I was champion, I had achieved half of my dream. The other half is to be pound-for-pound champion,? he states. ?Listen, this road is small but I?m still on it and I will be on it until someone pulls me off.?
Once a champion, it became apparent that Agbeko did not intend to make things easy on himself. In only his second defence he faced the renowned Vic Darchinyan. Before the fight the Australian-based Armenian powerhouse attempted to get under Agbeko?s skin with his usual selection of verbal digs but the champion would not be ruffled. And almost a year since his most famous victory Joseph has a message for Vic. ?I would beat Vic Darchinyan anytime he wants to fight me,? he insists. ?I always want to be in the school of boxing and to learn more. With Darchinyan you learn a lot because of his style. But my trainer gave me the right strategy to beat him.?
