Introduction

At a time when the world of African boxing is experiencing a new lease of life with the arrival of champion Francis Nganou in the discipline, more than sixty years ago another African was already reigning over the discipline to the point of becoming light-heavyweight world champion, a first for an African. 

His story is as glorious as it is tragic. 

His beginnings

Amadou Fall, his real name, was born in 1897 in Saint-Louis, Senegal. He began his boxing career at the age of 15 in France, where he moved in his early teens and which he represented.

Between 1912 and 1914, he fought 16 fights (8 wins, 6 draws, 2 defeats) before seeing his career interrupted by the First World War. Enlisted in the French army as a soldier, he was awarded the Croix de Guerre and the Médaille Militaire.

The peak of his career 

In 1922, Siki reached the pinnacle of his career by beating the great champion Georges Carpentier, world middleweight champion, in a hard-fought bout on 24 September 1922 in front of 40,000 people. He became the first black boxer to win a world title in a fight that everyone in the boxing world thought he would lose and generated huge excitement in France and Africa.

However, his success was not without controversy. 

A brutal end

His victory over Carpentier brought him problems related to racism, in a political climate where black men were still considered far inferior to white men. In addition to his worries about racism, his excessive attraction to women and alcohol attracted a great deal of controversy, which gradually took precedence over his sporting achievements. 

On 15 December 1925, he was found shot twice in the back in Hell’s Kitchen. 

He was only 28 years old.

Conclusion

Siki became an icon of the black world and a source of inspiration for all Africans thanks to his outstanding sporting achievements: 91 fights, 61 victories including 32 by knockout, 26 defeats and 4 draws. 

Despite his brutal end, he continues to inspire generations.

His story is a reminder of the injustices and obstacles faced by black athletes and underlines the need to continue the fight for equality and justice in sports and in society.