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Anthony Ogogo on WWE: Boxer talks Chris Jericho in first Sky blog

'I used to watch Smackdown through other people's windows!'

Anthony Ogogo WWE 13/10/2016

Anthony Ogogo competes inside the boxing ring - but rarely takes his eyes off the wrestling ring!

The 27-year-old, who won bronze in the middleweight division at the London 2012 Olympics, will be writing regular columns for Sky Sports looking at the world of WWE.

Live WWE: Late Night - Raw

Live WWE: Late Night - Smackdown

In his first blog, Anthony reveals the bizarre - very bizarre - ways he used to watch wrestling as a kid, which current wrestlers he admires, and who his dream tag-team partner would be.

Plus, he looks ahead to his 11th professional boxing bout, a fight with fellow Brit Craig Cunningham for the vacant WBC International middleweight title, live on Sky Sports on Saturday, October 22…

LONDON, ENGLAND - AUGUST 18:  Boxer Anthony Ogogo trains harder than ever before at the launch of Nike Unlimited You.  An immersive training event like no

What are you earliest WWE memories?

Like most guys, I got into it as a kid, around year five or six. The Attitude Era had just come in and Channel 4 was showing Sunday Night Heat and some of the bigger events - and I was just besotted with it. I remember when my sister went out with a boy who had Sky that, as a favour to me because we didn't have it, would record all the episodes of Raw and Smackdown on VHS and then come round at the end of the week and give me the tape. This went on for weeks and weeks - so when they broke up I was absolutely devastated! I had no way of watching - except for a way I can't believe I am about to admit…

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I used to stay at my Nan's on some weekends and would cycle there from home. One day, I went past this house and saw that Smackdown was on in the window - so I sat there, out of view, and watched it through the glass like a voyeur! From then on, I tried to do the same every week - sometimes they didn't have it on but when they did I would be glued for the whole two hours. My Nan would be ringing my Mum asking where I was, so it caused a massive stir!

One day, I went past this house and saw that Smackdown was on in the window - so I sat there, out of view, and watched it through the glass like a voyeur!
Anthony Ogogo

What was it that got you so hooked?

I always loved the entertainment aspect as well as the athletic prowess of all the guys, while watching D-Generation X's crotch chops were so cool. I started washing up in a Chinese restaurant on a Saturday night and with my money I bought Sky - I obviously watched boxing and football but one of the big reasons was wrestling, As I got older, I thought I would grow out if it but, if anything, I've got into it more. I am a hardcore fan and can't get enough of it. A lot of my close mates are bang on it as well, so it's not a naughty secret - we watch every single Raw and Smackdown and really enjoy it.

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We've picked out our top five moves from this week's RAW.

Which of the current wrestlers do you most enjoy watching?

The current crop is fantastic - but Kevin Owens is brilliant. What I love about him is that he is bad - not just bad by going into cities and slagging off their football or sports teams, but a by being a proper bad geezer. The way he beat up Sami Zayn in NXT, repeatedly slamming him onto the ring apron, was brutal. He plays the evil bully so well, while his skillset and repertoire is just phenomenal. I also love Seth Rollins - he is one of my favourite athletes across all sports in the world because of how quick and agile he is - while one of my unsung heroes is Cesaro. In the ring, you wonder if there is anybody better, so it's just a shame that he can struggle on the microphone at times because he could be John Cena.

WWE - Cesaro
Image: Ogogo is a fan of Swiss Superman, Cesaro

Cesaro is now in an unlikely tag team with Sheamus - but who would you want as your tag partner?

Easy - Chris Jericho, I just love the geezer. Oh my word, he is the man. What he can't do or doesn't know isn't worth doing or knowing. He is in his mid-40s now but in the ring he is still in great shape and the way he can get the most childish insult of 'You stupid idiot!' so popular with the fans is pure genius. You have to be a special person to get the audience so excited even when they know exactly what you are going to say! He'd be a perfect partner if we were good guys or bad guys, and hopefully I'd be a great foil. If I had to pick a boxer, it would be The Greatest, Muhammad Ali. He is the sportsman, the guy. Like wrestler Gorgeous George, a man he took some of his gimmick from, Ali sold fights when nobody really sold fights and was a magnificent entertainer. I'd happily be the Marty Jannetty to his Shawn Michaels!

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Chris Jericho airs his grievances with Raw General Manager Mick Foley as he adds to The List of Jericho...

How were your nerves watching Dolph Ziggler save his career by beating The Miz at No Mercy on Sunday night?

What. A. Match! The emotion in Ziggler versus The Miz was brilliant - I was on the edge of my seat watching it for 20-odd minutes and I was so pleased Dolph won. I don't know why he is not a top performer in WWE because when he has a good match, it is a great match, while he is also really good on the microphone - he is so passionate and believable. I think he deserves a long run with the world title and the good thing about that would be that he is a beatable champion. When you see Brock Lesnar with the belt you think 'Who can stop him?' but the vulnerability Ziggler brings would make for some really good matches. The Miz deserves a lot of praise for his No Mercy match with Ziggler, though - he has become one of my favourite bad guys in the business. He has elevated to a whole new level and is not the whiny character he once was.

WWE - Dolph Ziggler
Image: Dolph Ziggler is the new Intercontinental Champion

Finally on to you, your first title fight is on Saturday week. Are you ready?

Certainly. I have improved as a boxer but also as a man, learning how to deal with professional boxing. The pros and the amateurs are like rugby and football - they are both played on the same surface but are completely different. I have learnt that aspect and also how to deal with setbacks, such as a couple of potentially career-threatening injuries. I could have jacked boxing in a long time ago but I bit down on the gum shield and came through every bit of adversity that came my way. I probably should have been fighting for my first title two years ago but all the hardship has made me so much stronger mentally and want it more than I ever thought I did. It's taken me a long time to get going but I feel like a steam train at the minute. I won't be stopped.

Anthony Ogogo v Gary Cooper
Image: Ogogo boxing Gary Cooper in Glasgow earlier this year

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