AEW’s Anthony Ogogo has discussed his friendship with WWE Hall Of Famer Kurt Angle and says Angle helped after Ogogo had to give up his boxing dream.
Like Angle, Anthony Ogogo is an accomplished Olympian. Whereas Angle won gold for the USA in freestyle wrestling in 1996 [with a broken freakin’ neck] Ogogo won bronze in middleweight boxing at his home games in London in 2012.
Speaking to Metro.co.uk, Ogogo discussed meeting Angle and how he found a kindred spirit in him:
“Kurt Angle and I are friends. I met him in 2014 after the Olympics. We spoke Olympics, we spoke wrestling. I met him at a show – I’ve been a wrestling fan my entire life, I met him at a show at Wembley Arena. We became friends, he gave me his number and email, we talk all the time. He helped me a lot in my demise from boxing – I was in a really bad way. He’s been through some bad times in his life, and he helped me. He didn’t guide me really, but someone to talk to. Someone to talk to, someone who’s similar to me in terms of mindset and desire.”
“To get to an Olympic Games, then win a medal, suffer great adversity and then come back and be successful still – it requires a certain something inside which is hard to explain. He’s got it in spades, I’ve got it in spades. So we spoke, and I told him I wanted to become a wrestler. He goes, “Mate, I’m so happy for you!” He’s always been great, he’s always been open to talk to me.”
Whereas Angle had neck issues to deal with in both his amateur and professional wrestling career, Ogogo’s issues with his eyes caused him to have to give up boxing before his time. Ogogo fought Craig Cunningham in his first professional title fight for the WBC International Middleweight Title. Anthony Ogogo suffered his professional loss in the bout after his trainer pulled him out of the fight in the eighth round due to blurred vision. It was confirmed later that Ogogo had suffered a fractured eye socket.
Ogogo was forced to retire from boxing in 2019 after several operations to correct his sight. According to commentary on AEW television Ogogo is 78% blind in his left eye and he was registered blind in 2017.
Turning his attention to the world of professional wrestling, Ogogo has made a big splash since making AEW Dynamite debut where he joined QT Marshall, Nick Comoroto, and Aaron Solow in turning their back on Cody Rhodes and forming The Factory.
Ogogo’s two AEW matches have both ended as a result of referee stoppage after Ogogo has put his boxing past to good use to deliver knock-out blows.
Cody Rhodes will be hoping to avoid the stone hands of Anthony Ogogo as for one night only he adopts his father’s moniker as ‘The American Dream’ Cody Rhodes steps in the ring with ‘The Guv’nor’ Anthony Ogogo at Double Or Nothing.