Babafunso Koyote Banjo is a Nigerian-born British retired boxer, well-known in the British boxing scene during the 1980s and 1990s. Born in Lagos on October 2, 1956, he was raised in England, where he made his mark as a professional boxer. Banjo started his career on October 29, 1981, in a match against John Rafferty. Over the course of his career, Banjo fought in 18 professional bouts, winning 15, with six victories by knockout.
Despite his success, Banjo was often criticized for his “boring and unentertaining” boxing style. His most significant defeat came on December 5, 1984, when he was beaten by Marvis Frazier, son of legendary boxer Joe Frazier. He faced another defeat on September 18, 1985, against Trevor Currie.
In a notable moment of his career, a photo taken in August 1985 shows Banjo on his way to the gym as he prepared for the British Heavyweight Title fight against Trevor Currie in London.
Funso Banjo is also the father of Ashley and Jordan Banjo, who gained fame as part of the dance troupe Diversity, which won the third series of Britain’s Got Talent in 2009. Ashley Banjo went on to become a judge on Got to Dance and a co-presenter of Can’t Touch This on BBC.
Source: Yorubablog.
