10 Things You Didn’t Know About Dick Tiger

The Nigerian middleweight sportsman and boxer from Ubahu village, Dick Tiger was born as Richard Ihetu on 14 August 1929 in Amaigbo, Nigeria. He was an “in–house fighter” at New York City’s Madison Square Garden. He became a two-time undisputed world middleweight titlist and helped keep boxing alive during the 1950s boxing industry recession. He was appointed CBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, but he returned his insignia as a protest for what he perceived as a lack of support by Great Britain to the Biafran cause. There is no doubt that he was one of the greatest fighters to come out of Africa.

Here are 10 things you probably didn’t know about the legendary Nigerian boxer, Dick Tiger:

1. Dick Tiger was born as Richard Ihetu on 14 August 1929 in Amaigbo, Nigeria.

2. He became a two-time undisputed world middleweight titlist and helped keep boxing alive during the 1950s boxing industry recession.

3. He earned an undisputed Light-Heavyweight world championship and in 1962, he won the world middleweight boxing championship.

4. On May 20, 1965, he floored Rubin “Hurricane” Carter three times and won a unanimous 10-round decision.

5. He was an “in–house fighter” at New York City’s Madison Square Garden.

6. He appeared as a guest on an episode of the American television series “What’s My Line”.

7. After retiring from boxing, he worked as a guard at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

8. He had been banned by the Nigerian government in his country because of his involvement in the Biafran movement; however, the ban was lifted immediately after news about his condition arrived in Nigeria.

9. He was appointed CBE by Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, but he returned his insignia as a protest for what he perceived as a lack of support by Great Britain to the Biafran cause.

10. He developed a portfolio of investments before the outbreak of the Nigerian Civil War. He died of liver cancer on December 14, 1971; he was 42 years old.