Hogan Bassey: Nigeria’s first World Boxing Champion who paid his school fees with his fists! Background, Career, Wives and Achievements

Hogan Bassey was a former world boxing champion. He was the first athlete of Nigerian descent to win a world boxing title – a feat he achieved in 1957. Bassey dominated the featherweight division during his prime, winning several fights leading up to his world title victory.

The Nigerian-British boxer started boxing in Nigeria, but rose to global fame in the 1950s after moving to the United Kingdom. He achieved international recognition after winning the British Empire Featherweight Title in 1955 and the World Featherweight Championship in 1957.

Hogan Bassey was appointed a Member of the British Empire (MBE) in 1959 and a Member of the Order of Niger (MON) by the Nigerian Government later in 1973 for his remarkable feat in the sport. He made quite a significant mark in the featherweight division before he hung up his gloves in 1959 after consecutive losses to Davey Moore after RTD.

This post examines the background, career, achievements, and other vital information about Hogan “Kid’ Bassey. Hogan Bassey dropped out of school seven times and fought his way back seven times as he fought in the ring to pay his fees.

Hogan “Kid” Bassey (1932-1998) - Find a Grave Memorial — Hogan “Kid” Bassey with the Ring featherweight title

Hogan Bassey told Arthur Daley of the New York Times in 1958 that he used boxing to pay his school fees.

“I fight amateur, until I run out of amateur opponents,” Bassey said. “Then I fight professional so that I can get money to pay my way through school. Seven times I have to quit and seven times I fight my way back into school

Hogan Bassey was managed and trained by Peter Banasko from Liverpool. George Biddles, a boxing manager and trainer from Leicester City, bought out Bassey’s Contract for £600 after he won the British Empire Featherweight title. It was a big risk at the time. Bassey was then managed and trained by Biddles and Jimmy August afterwards.

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Hogan Bassey Background

Born, Okon Asuquo Bassey, the Nigerian-British boxer rose through the ranks and achieved international success in 1957. Hogan Bassey was born on June 3, 1932, to Chief and Mrs. Okon Bassey Asuquo in a village called Ufok Ubet in Creek Town, Calabar, South-South Nigeria. He started his elementary school at Creek Town School, Calabar, before he left for Ahmaddiya Primary School, Olowogbowo, Lagos, where he lived with his aunt—NB (Ahmaddiya Primary School is now known as Breadfruit).

Career

Hogan Bassey started his boxing career in 1949 when he joined the professional ranks as an amateur boxer, and he adopted the moniker “Kid Bassey”. Jack Salami was Hogan Bassey’s first victim in the ring. After landing punches on Salami repeatedly, he knocked him out with a devastating punch to the head. Hogan Bassey became the youngest boxer to win the national flyweight title in 1949 at 18 years, shortly after graduating from secondary school. He defeated Dick Turpin in 10 rounds to achieve the feat, which took place in Lagos.

After winning the national flyweight title, Hogan worked briefly with the Ordinance Depot in Lagos as a storekeeper under a Briton called Sergeant Pearson. His boss tried to persuade him to go to the United Kingdom to fine-tune his boxing skills, but the idea of leaving his motherland did not appeal to him.

However, Hogan Bassey changed his mind in 1951 when another Briton, Jack Fransworth, paid for his flight ticket to the United Kingdom. A few months after arrival, the British Boxing Board of Control issued him a boxing license to fight in the United Kingdom.

Before moving to the United Kingdom, Hogan Bassey also claimed the West African Flyweight Title as he defeated Ghanaian boxer Ogli Tettey in a grueling 12-round battle in Lagos. Hogan eventually won the keenly contested bout via points.

He went on to defeat Young Spider Neequaye to win the West African Bantamweight Title on 28 September 1951.

World Featherweight title

Hogan Bassey started his boxing career in the United Kingdom in the flyweight division before moving to the bantamweight division, and finally found his area of dominance in the featherweight class. In 1957, Kid Bassey etched his name in history by defeating Algerian-born French boxer Cherif Hamia to claim the world featherweight title, becoming Nigeria’s first-ever world boxing champion.

En route to winning the world featherweight title, Hogan Bassey won and defended the Commonwealth Featherweight Title. He defeated home favorite Billy Kelly in Belfast on 19 November 1955 to win the title, and Trinidad and Tobago’s Percy Lewis to retain the title on 1 April 1957 in Nottingham.

Hogan Bassey’s grit and skill shone brightly, but in 1959, he faced a tough loss when American fighter Davey Moore took the title on March 18. Along the way, Bassey shared the squared ropes with formidable opponents like Tommy Profitt, Sammy McCarthy, Ricardo Moreno, Billy “Spider” Kelly, Percy Lewis, and the legendary Willie Pep, proving his mettle against the best boxers of his division.

Hogan Bassey Bassey’s wife

Hogan. Art Prints from Memory Lane — Hogan Bassey, his wife, and his kid

Hogan “Kid” Bassey, Nigeria’s beloved boxing icon, lived a life full of passion both in and out of the ring. He married two women during his lifetime. In 1977, he married Mary Magdalene, and their bond remained strong until he died in 1998. Before that, he was married to Maria Williams, but unfortunately, the marriage eventually ended in divorce. Hogan Bassey had eight children—six with Mary Madgalene and two with Maria Williams.

Recognition

Hogan “Kid” Bassey was more than a boxer—he was a pacesetter who carried Nigeria’s pride into the ring. In 1958, the late Queen Elizabeth II knighted him, awarding him the prestigious Member of the Most Excellent Order of the British Empire (MBE) for his extraordinary achievements in the boxing ring.

His brilliance didn’t go unnoticed in Africa. Senegal honored him with the revered Lion of Africa award, and in 1964, Nigeria celebrated its hero with the Member of the Order of Niger (MON), bestowed on him by then-Military Head of State, Gen. Olusegun Obasanjo, who later became a civilian president between 1999 and 2007.

Bassey /Joshua: The 1st And Current World Boxing Champions Both Nigerian-British - Sports - Nigeria

Hogan Bassey’s boxing records

In the ring, Bassey was a force, racking up an impressive 59 wins—21 by knockout, 38 by decision—against just 13 losses and 2 draws over his professional career. His speed, tenacity, and skill made him Nigeria’s first world boxing champion, a title he claimed with pride.

When did Hogan Bassey retire?

Hogan Bassey retired at the age of 27 after a career-ending injury during his 1959 title defenses against Davy Moore. But his love for boxing didn’t retire with his gloves. He poured his heart into coaching, as he served as the National Boxing Coach for the then Eastern Nigeria, shaping the next generation of Nigerian boxers with the same momentum that propelled him to the height of world boxing.

When did Hogan Bassey die?

Hogan Bassey died on January 26, 1998, at his home in Apapa, Lagos, after battling a heart ailment.

Hogan Bassey’s net worth

There is no clear detail about Hogan “Kid” Bassey’s net worth. As Nigeria’s first world boxing champion, he carved out an outstanding legacy in the ring, capturing hearts with his skill and resilience. While we have provided information about his remarkable career, his marriages, and his death, sadly, there’s little out there about his financial life. However, winning a world boxing title and winning several bouts should come with decent financial incentives because Hogan Bassey lived a quite comfortable life.