By Wayne Bartlett: We are walking down Stoke Newington High Road when Erick Ochieng is stopped by a man entering a shop. He asks Ochieng how the fight went and is delighted when told it went well.
“That guy owns the shop,” says Ochieng whilst beaming an infectious smile.We walk on, “he knew about the fight, so did a couple of guys who live in my flats, but walking down the street nobody knows. One day it would be good to be recognised.”
Just days ago, following eight rounds that could have taken place in a phone box, Ochieng won the English light-middleweight title in an early contender for fight of the year.
Emerging triumphant from the battle, after his opponent Nick Quigley’s corner stopped the fight at the beginning of round nine, Ochieng claimed his first title whilst improving his record to 9-1(3).
As we take a seat in a Hackney café his battle scars are noticeable. Ochieng is sporting a slight bump just under his left eye and the corner of his left pupil is reddened. “I’ve brought the belt!” he says, and from out of his bag he produces the English strap.
You can feel the pride as he displays on the café table the fruit of his labours. He keeps it on there until we leave.
“It took a few days to sink in,” says the ever-smiling 24-year-old. “Quigley was tough, but I weathered the storm.”
For many, last Saturday’s fight at York Hall, Bethnal Green was the first they had seen or heard of Ochieng, but after the slugfest no oneis likely to forget this Londoner any time soon.
“We train for the unexpected,” Ochieng says of his tactics. “I can fight off the ropes or I can fight in the middle of the ring. If I get a boxer, I can fight him, if I get a fighter, I can box him. If I get a runner, I can walk him down. Against Quigley I wanted to hurt him to the body and you could see I was breaking him down.”
Ochieng’s description of his troublesome upbringing, in North London, after moving from Kenya when he was 11, is as sharp as his clinical assessment of his recent victory.
“It was a culture shock. I was living with my mum as my parents were separated at that time and I got caught up in the wrong crowd. I wanted to be like my friends but my mum wouldn’t have it so I was out of my mums and living in foster homes.
“Until I was 14 I was a bad boy when the Police caught me and my friend after we’d stolen a motorbike. We were taken to court and faced being locked up.”
It is hard to imagine when in his company, Ochieng being anything other than the embracing figure he is now. Although following the arrest, he turned to the religion he grew up with and became a devout Christian.
“During that whole period I was going to church but I was still on the street doing my own thing,” says the Londoner. “But I prayed for help and we were let off! I changed my ways but my friend went and did the same thing again and he’s been in and out of prison ever since. I don’t know where he is right now, I hope he’s well, but I realised if it wasn’t for Jesus Christ I’d be locked up, career washed up and wouldn’t be where I am today.”
After a 70 fight amateur career spawned by a care worker and former boxer who took him to Haringey Boxing gym, today Ochieng sits with nine wins from ten fights in the pro ranks, the English title in his possession and a contract with buzzing promotional company Matchroom.
Possessing power, speed and boxing ability to match his aspirations, the contract decision described by the ever-impressive promoter Eddie Hearn as ‘a punt’ looks sure to be one that will pay off.
Surrounded by an experienced, quality team with the likes of trainer/manager Brian Lawrence and James Cook in his corner, Ochieng’s confidence is unshakeable when talking of his ambitions.
“I’m proud of my team and I am a world champion, the world just doesn’t know yet. I keep saying it because I believe it. Even before my first amateur fight my vision was to be world champion. I have a great hunger because I’m getting closer. I want to become a voice for young people and old because it doesn’t matter where you start in life, it’s where you finish. We can’t choose how we start, but it’s our choice who and what we surround ourselves with.”
In a sport where being undefeated is given far too much emphasis, Ochieng remains philosophical when talking of his sole professional loss at the hands of Luke Robinson last year.
“When you’re unbeaten your head can get so big you can’t fit through the door. It was meant to be over six rounds. We were gloved up ready to go then they tell us the fight is four rounds. That took us by surprise and Robinson came out like a rocket, but I just ran out of time.
“If it was over six I’d have turned it around after catching him in the fourth but that was a blessing in disguise. I had a lot on my mind like the worry of selling tickets, even on the day of the fight. But even though I lost, I dealt with it good, my trainer was happy with how I dealt with it and I kept my cool under pressure.”
Men are more ready to repay an injury than a benefit according to an old saying, but revenge is not something Ochieng, who holds wins over Liam Cameron and Curtis Valentine, sees as important.
“I don’t call it a loss I call it experience. Failing doesn’t mean you’ve failed it just means you didn’t succeed at that time and there’s less pressure on my shoulders now to keep that 0.”
No one enjoys losing, but Ochieng appears genuinely content with the decision when he says, “The loss doesn’t bother me. I want to move forward. If I meet him again down the road and he’s in my way then hey, bring it on I’ll fight him. I’m not going to go looking for him. Any man can lose and it was only by one point, I’m a longer distance fighter now.”
It’s rare for him not to be playful for very long, and Ochieng laughs loudly when asked of his Erick ‘The Eagle’ ring moniker being the same as former British skier Eddie ‘The Eagle’ Edwards, who gained fans mainly for his lack of success.
“We was thinking about nicknames and my friend said what about Erick the Eagle?
So I checked it out and discovered Erick means eternal ruler and as the eagle rules the kingdom of the birds so as I will come to rule my division, light middleweight. I also discovered Eddie the Eagle, that skier with the big glasses!”
His next fight is likely to be in April and sparring with fellow Matchroom fighter, the world class Kell Brook awaiting him, as we leave the café Ochieng talks of his eagerness to get back to the gym after being ordered to take time to rest. It’s only been four days since the fight.
Nobody recognises the new English light-middleweight champion as we walk back down Stoke Newington High Road not far from his home. But if he reaches the goals he and others expect of him, Erick Ochieng may have to get used to some attention in the future.
February 6, 2012
