Otuo Saba on Ringside
Ringnews24.com: What age did you start boxing and what inspired you to become a fighter?
Otuo Saba: I started boxing with Tunde from day one at the age of 10 and I’ve never had any other person teach me the sport of boxing or as Tunde would say the ‘ART’ of boxing. I was inspired to take up boxing because my cousins told me that our Uncle was a boxer so I thought to myself “let me try that”.
Ringnews24.com: What was your amateur record and did you win anything as an amateur boxer?
Otuo Saba: I lost my first amateur fight then stopped my next four opponents, I found it difficult to get fights. In fact in a six year amateur career I only had 15 amateur fights winning divisional school boy titles and getting through to the National final in the first year of my amateur career.
Ringnews24.com: What fighter of today would you say your style is mostly like?
Otuo Saba: Well because of my close connection with the Mayweather’s and because of the style in which Tunde develops and trains his fighters most people would say Floyd Mayweather but Tunde says I’m a unique fighter with bits of everyone but at the end of the day there will only ever be one Floyd Mayweather so therefore there is only ever going to be one OTUO SABA
Ringnews24.com: Who is your favorite current fighter, and what attributes can you take from this fighter?
Otuo Saba: The only modern day fighter Tunde had me study was the best and that is Floyd Mayweather. He said if you want to be the best you have to first study the best. Being with, and training with, Floyd Mayweather for his last two fights I would say the number one attribute I’ve tried to develop is his work ethic which is second to none. His dad Floyd Mayweather senior told me people use to say to him that he was going to kill his son with the training he use to put on little Floyd which is funny because everyone here in the UK has said that about Tunde from the very beginning with me but I’m blessed to have Tunde guiding my career.
Ringnews24.com: Do you like watching boxing when you’re at home and if so, which boxers do you like watching most?
Otuo Saba :I don’t really watch boxing at home other than what I was instructed by Tunde to watch from the age of 10 years old which was Floyd Mayweather and old school fighters, Joe Louis, Henry Armstrong, Sugar Ray Leonard, Jack Dempsey, Willie Pep, Ezard Charles and a few others. I do occasionally watch the new guys but I never study them.
Ringnews24.com: If you could pick 3 fights to happen in boxing what would they be?
Otuo Saba: I have two fights I want to see and one fight that I know will happen one day 1) KLITSCHKO V KLITSCHKO the two brothers fight each other. 2) FLOYD MAYWEATHER V MANNY PACQUIAO AND 3) OTUO ‘Special boy’ SABA V SAUL ‘Canelo’ ALVAREZ
Ringnews24.com: With so many Father-Son Combinations having been less than successful over the years, and even some of the successful ones like the Mosley’s being unable to last all the entire way through a career, what do you see as being the difference with yourself and your dad as opposed to others?
Otuo Saba: The difference is ‘RESPECT’ Tunde is the TREE and I’m the FRUIT. The fruit cannot be greater than the tree that produced it and as long as I believe that we will never have a problem. Tunde is dead serious in the gym and will not take any nonsense but at the end of the day he has taught me everything I know and how to respect people in life. He always tells me “OTUO i want you to be a role model to kids and to do that you have to be respectful to everyone you meet” and truly that has always been my mantra.
Ringnews24.com: You’re a British fighter of a very young age yet you have been training with your trainer Tunde Ajayi in Las Vegas with Roger Mayweather, how did that opportunity come about?
Otuo Saba: One word ‘TUNDE’ its because of him I have been blessed to experience these things at such a young age. Tunde has believed in me from day one he told Freddie Roach Roger Mayweather about me in 2011. Tunde went to California three times last year to Freddie Roach but felt I was not ready for that yet however he decided in September 2011 that I was ready to take the next step of my development as a fighter and Roger Mayweather said to come over. We trained with Floyd for the Victor Ortiz fight and this year we stayed in Las Vegas for one month with Floyd for the Miguel Cotto fight. I thank God because its a dream come true!!
Ringnews24.com: Roger Mayweather said “Junior Saba will be champion” with such a compliment comes added pressure, how do you fell about the pressure being put on you to succeed?
Otuo Saba: I don’t feel any pressure at all. It’s funny really even when I was sparring in front of everyone in Floyd’s gym people were asking me how I stay so relaxed. Maybe it’s because from when I was 10 years old Tunde had me doing ‘PADS EXHIBITIONS’ in front of large audiences with my uncle Spencer Fearon. Tunde use to say to me “people are laughing now but one day they’ll see what I was doing taking you all around the country. More than anything though I really thank Uncle Roger because he doesn’t say many nice things about anyone..hahaha!!”
Ringnews24.com: How have you found the experience training in Las Vegas and what did you take away from the experience?
Otuo Saba: Training in Las Vegas is not a joke. There are so many fighters from different countries, hungry fighters. I was in the gym with Gamboa, Celestino Caballero , Hasim Rahman, Jesse Vargas, Andre Ward, Andre Dirrell oh and 50 Cent although he’s not a boxer, very nice guy. What I took away from Las Vegas is keep doing what I have been doing from the age of 10 because I realise that I’m not the only one with this big dream.
Ringnews24.com: Your not far away from turning pro, when will we see you in the ring?
Otuo Saba: I just can’t wait to turn 18 in August. I’m ready, my experience in Las Vegas showed me I’m ready to turn pro but I’m still young and need to be guided properly which Tunde has done but from August 29th 2012 I’m definitely ready. If all goes according to plan I will make my debut in September 2012.
Ringnews24.com: Do you have a promoter/manager in place yet?
Otuo Saba: Well Tunde is my manager, he is a licensed manager and I don’t have a promoter at the moment, Tunde is dealing with all that but Tunde has been having meetings for the last couple of months in the U.S, U.K and Europe.
Ringnews24.com: What sort of level do you hope to reach?
Otuo Saba: IM GOING TO BE ‘SPECIAL’ IN THE SPORT OF BOXING 100%
Ringnews24.com: Do you have any short term goals or long term goals that you would like to achieve and have you set yourself a timescale on your goals?
Otuo Saba: I use to have goals set, short and long term but now Tunde has taught me that I should just take everyday as it comes. The most important thing is that I try to become a MASTER at what I love and that is boxing.
Ringnews24.com: What weight level will you be fighting in?
Otuo Saba: I’ll probably start at super bantam but anything can happen in two months so we’ll wait and see.
Ringnews24.com: Will you be making your debut in the States or in Britain?
Otuo Saba: Tunde will be making that decision shortly, I JUST WANT TO FIGHT!!!!
Ringnews24.com: Thanks for taking time to talk to us Otuo.
Otuo Saba: I just would like to say thank you for taking the time to interview me and to your readers; for the best online boxing info log onto Ringnew24 the best in the business!!
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