Hogan “Kid” Bassey MBE MON (3 June 1932 – 26 January 1998) was a Nigerian-British boxer; he was the first man of Nigerian descent to become a world boxing champion.
BACKGROUND
He was born Okon Asuquo Bassey on the banks of the Cross River, Creek Town, Calabar, Nigeria, and became naturalised British when he moved to the UK, where he spent most of his life in Liverpool. He took the name Kid Bassey when he turned professional as a boxer. He was managed by and trained by George Biddles and Jimmy August.
After 14 contests in Nigeria, Bassey went to Liverpool, England, arriving there three days before Christmas 1951.
After winning the Empire featherweight championship, he won the WBA world featherweight title by defeating French Algerian Cherif Hamia in Paris on the 24 June 1957. He lost the title to US fighter Davey Moore on 18 March 1959. Other opponents include Billy “Spider” Kelly, Percy Lewis, Tommy Profitt, Sammy McCarthy, Ricardo Moreno, and Willie Pep.
In the 1958 New Year Honours, he was appointed a Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) “for services to sport in the Eastern Region, Nigeria”.Bassey went on to become a coach in Nigeria, which awarded him the country’s highest honour, the Order of the Niger, in 1973. He died on 26 January 1998 at his home in Apapa, Lagos.
At Nigerian Books of Record, we keep track of record breakers, impact makers, and change agents. We aim to document, celebrate, and honor the remarkable achievements and excellent records of people.
By honoring new generations of game-changers and sharing their authentic stories, we aim to break boundaries, entertain, inspire, and inform the world.
Books of Record will always strive to encourage, find, and share the uniqueness in every achiever who has distinguished themselves through hard work in every professional calling of life.
Always visit this platform for the latest updates on any of our inductions. Send us an email for suggestions on how we can serve you better or suggestions on the next NBR Hall of Famer.
Advertise with us here.
Please, follow Nigerian Books of Record on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter.
Tak Hej der til alle, det indhold, der findes på denne
Fantastic article! Your perspective on this topic is truly insightful. For those looking to explore this further, I found an excellent resource that complements your points: READ MORE. I’m eager to hear what others think about this!