Originally published at Anthony Ogogo speaks about his mental health struggles in 2019, credits his wife for saving his life
Former Olympic Boxer Anthony Ogogo wants to make history in AEW.
Anthony Ogogo has been signed to All Elite Wrestling for close to three years. The announcement of his signing was made in October 2019 by Cody Rhodes at an independent show in the United Kingdom. In March of that year, Ogogo was forced to retire from pro boxing after suffering a fractured eye socket.
There were a number of complications and surgeries Ogogo underwent and he spent over $100,000 on surgeries in an attempt to fix the issue. While being profiled by PA Media, Ogogo shared that he considered taking his own life in December 2019 and if it were not for his wife being there for him, he feels he would have went through with it.
I’d like to think I was half-articulate but I can’t start to articulate the feelings that I felt. I retired on March, 11 2019, I remember it like the back of my hand, my last fight was basically three years before – October 2016 – and there was no conceivable way that I was thinking I’ve walked to the ring as a 27-year-old, as a baby, entering my prime, for the last time. I spent £100,000 on surgeries in America, that was everything I earned in boxing, and much more beside. I sold my car, remortgaged my house to pay for surgery that didn’t work. Then I had an injection in my eye, it was a Botox injection to weaken the muscle to try to bring the eye to a better position – it missed the intended muscle and permanently paralyzed the nerve in my left eye. I gave my life to boxing and I had nothing to show for it other than bad vision; no money, no belts and no titles. I lost my career, I lost my passion, lost my livelihood and I’ve had to sit and watch people who have half of my ability grow and become world champions and multimillionaires. No exaggeration. I was generally suicidal and there’s one night in my life, it was December 2019, if my wife wasn’t home that day, I probably would have ended my life that night because I was beyond the brink but thankfully my wife and I were able to address my life. She literally saved my life – that was my ground zero and I’ve built up from that.
Ogogo was in action at the 4/27 AEW Dark: Elevation taping in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. He told the publication that he is eager for AEW to come to the U.K. and wants to be the company’s first Black and English world champion.
100 percent, I can’t wait. I think we do a stellar job. I can’t wait to take it to the UK and get cheered for once! I always get booed over here. I want to be the first English world champion, to be the first Black world champion in AEW. But firstly, for me, when I started doing this, I wanted to have fun in my life again and I’m really having fun, I’m really loving life.
June 2021 was the last time Ogogo wrestled on AEW Dynamite and that match was the fallout from his singles bout with Cody Rhodes at Double or Nothing. Throughout his pro wrestling career, Ogogo has had a total 15 matches.