Anthony Ogogo upbeat over future despite dislocated shoulder
Thursday 27 August 2015 14:38, UK
Anthony Ogogo is upbeat over the future despite dislocating his shoulder on his comeback from a year out with an Achilles injury.
The Olympic bronze medallist outpointed Ruslan Schelev in July to move to 8-0-KO4 almost exactly a year since his last fight - but sustained another injury that is likely to keep him out until Christmas.
Despite his enforced lack of activity in the ring, Ogogo is determined to finally fulfil his potential and believes without injuries, he would be challenging the likes of WBO middleweight champion Andy Lee by now.
He told Sky Sports: "I really honestly believe that if I'd have a clear run as a professional boxer, I'd be at that level now challenging those guys. I don't see anything in those guys to make me believe I couldn't beat them. It's just I need that momentum from putting together five or six fights.
I wish those guys the best and hopefully they'll keep that title in Britain and Ireland and when I'm back in the not-too-distant future, hopefully I'll be challenging for world honours.
"That's for the future. I wish those guys the best and hopefully they'll keep that title in Britain and Ireland and when I'm back in the not-too-distant future, hopefully I'll be challenging for world honours.
"I'm very British and patriotic so I want to do it the correct way. I want to win the British title and then the European. In America, you're only regarded as a champion if you're a world champion. Everything else is secondary.
"It's pointless me talking about fighting this guy or that guy at the moment. I've had enough bad luck to last me five careers. In football, you have bad luck and you have good luck over a season and hopefully that's the same with my career. Hopefully I've had all the bad luck at the start of my career.
"If I make my comeback in December then by next December, if I'm not a British, Commonwealth or European champion, I'll have underachieved."
Having enjoyed success at London 2012, Norfolk's Ogogo is keen to establish himself in his home country when he returns, having signed a co-promotional deal with Golden Boy and Team Sauerland.
The 26-year-old added: "I've had all the amazing experiences of fighting around the world and now I want to fight in the UK and build up a fan base at home. I want to start selling out arenas on my own.
"Sauerland can offer that. They look after George Groves and David Price. Between the three of us, there's enough talent to put on some really good shows in the UK. Hopefully George can win the world title - it'd be great for the whole stable.
"The most frustrating thing for me is that it's just bad luck. I couldn't have done anything more. I don't drink, have late nights or burn the candle at both ends. I do nothing to increase the chances of getting injured. I'm an optimistic person and I've got a great physio working with me.
"I've been a professional for two and a half years and for much more than half of it, I've been injured. I had an Achilles injury and when you have one of those, you can't do anything. It was a year of being inactive. If someone had told me I'd have eight fights in my first two and a half years when I turned professional, I'd think they were joking."
