By Ken Hissner
There are quite a few boxers almost hitting 40 and some beyond that hoping for that “George Foreman” jackpot! One thing different about Prince Badi Amaju is that he didn’t start boxing professionally until 12 days shy of 29 and is always in tip top shape whether he has a fight or not. In 8 ½ years he has had 31 fights and the big one with Roy Jones, Jr. in July of 2006 was the one opportunity that “got away”!
The Prince from Camden can be seen at most of the fights whether in Atlantic City or Philly and he is quiet and keeps to himself waiting for that one more opportunity. This writer if my memory serves me right only saw The Prince once and that was in his last fight in July of 2009 when he defeated DeAndrey Abron, 15-5, out of Youngstown, OH. He had a very unusual style that kind of reminded one of “the old days”! He won 10 out of the 12 rounds on the scorecard of Steve Weisfeld which means he won big!
“The first man that ever taught me how to fight was James Forchion. He owns a barber shop on Marlton Pike, in Camden, NJ. I later had a Camden police officer train me. He took me to Philadelphia’s Bozy Ennis who trained me for the National Golden Gloves, Diamond Belt, US Everlast, and the Eastern Olympic Trial qualifiers. My amateur record was 33-3 with 20 KO’s,” said Amaju.
“I got him late in the amateurs. He came over with a Camden police officer and asked me to train him. He can fight. I trained him for his first 14 professional fights of which he won all of them. He’s really a nice person and was very coachable,” said Bozy Ennis.
Back to the professionals the Abron fight was his first fight since he defeated Craig Cummings, 53-6-1, for the vacant World Boxing Foundation and the NBA light heavyweight title at the Knox Arena, in Olive Branch, MS. It was a long ride for 2 rounds of boxing but sometimes its better when it turns out that way. Cumming’s retired at the end of the second round. That was in January of 2007.
Before that The Prince put his WBO NABO title on the line against Jones. They ended up in Qwest Arena, Boise, ID, in July of 2006. It seemed like the time to take on the former pound-for-pound best since he was coming of 3 consecutive losses. The 6 fight win streak of the Prince’s was stopped.
The Prince has collected his share of minor titles starting back in August of 2003. After losing for the first time after compiling a 15-0-1 record he went into his opponent’s back yard in Detroit losing to Rico Hoye, 12-0, for the vacant IBA Continental title over 12 rounds.
Next The Prince would win his first title defeating Mike Alvarez, 9-3-2, for the USA Pennsylvania State title stopping his opponent in 6 rounds. He followed up in his next fight winning the vacant International Boxing Council Inter-Continental title stopping Sam Hill, 15-4-1, at the legendary Blue Horizon. This is the same Hill who defeated Gold Medal and world champion David Reid.
After back to back stoppages of Ray Berry, 19-12-2, in Philly and AC, The Prince traveled to Quebec City in Canada and lost to Otis Grant, 32-2-1, by a majority decision. Need I say more? Next he won by a majority decision at the Blue Horizon over veteran Derrick Whitley, 22-21-2, who was never stopped in his career.
Fred Moore, 29-2, was The Prince’s next victim in Tampa, FL, stopping Moore in the 10th and final round. In Moore’s next fight he won the NBA title at that time in July of 2004. The WBC Continental Americas vacant title was up for grabs next in December as The Prince defeated Greg Wright, 21-11-2, which would be Wrights last fight. This bout was in Kissimmee, FL.
It would be 10 months before The Prince defended that title halting Orlando Rivera, 15-3-2, who won 6 of his last 7 fights. Just 2 months later in December he won the vacant WBC Caribbean Boxing Federation (CABOFE) title defeating Thomas Reid, 34-16-1, in St/ Petersburg, FL.
In a Continental defense and for the vacant WBO NABO title The Prince defeated Galen Brown, 22-3-1, in Atlantic City, NJ, where he hadn’t fought in 4 years. He stopped Brown in the 10th of a scheduled 12 round bout. It would be 6 months later when he would face Jones.
It all started in January of 2001 at the Blue Horizon when The Prince stopped Lavarius Thompson, 2-3, in the 2nd round. In his next 13 fights he would fight several boxers more than once such as Robert Marsh, Roderick Knox and Alton Rice. It wasn’t until April of 2002 that he didn’t win his fight when he fought to a draw with Anthony Bonsante, 20-3-2, at Dover Downs, in DE, over 8 rounds. Bonsante you may remember as one of the “Contender” show’s participants.
The Prince had 10 fights his first year in 2001. Things didn’t slow down until 2005 when he only fought twice. In 2002, 2003 and 2004 he had 5 fights each year. He has never lost in his home state of NJ in 8 fights or in PA, where he fought 13 times. As far as trainers in his corner they are Denny Brown and recently added Buddy McGirt.
What the Prince needs is one more opportunity. Chuckie “The Professor” Mussachio is the World Boxing Foundation United States Champion at 17-1 (5) from Wildwood, NJ. This is the title that the Prince won back in 2007 and defended in his last fight in 2009. This would be a possible match-up for that title plus the New Jersey State title. Dee Lee Promotions has promoted both fighters.
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