Power Mike

Power Mike in our words

Michael Okpala, a.k.a Power Mike, is a famous Nigerian wrestler born on the 8th of August 1939 in Neni, Aniocha LGA of Anambra state, Nigeria. He discovered his talent as a boxer at an early stage when he was still in primary school.

His interest was initially in boxing games, which made him join the Dick Tiger Boxing Club as a middleweight boxer in the amateur category while in Onitsha immediately after his primary education. He later traveled from Onitsha to Kano for apprentice business; there, he started a local Superman show business that gained his popularity as Power Mike.

In his pursuit, he became a big-time traveler traveling from states in Nigeria to international countries. It was when he traveled to Greece in 1968 after his one-year contract in Sweden that he became a wrestler. While in Greece, he performed as a superman, and a wrestling promoter interested him and trained him under Kalie Abdulkalie of Lebanon. Initially, he never liked the wrestling game due to the brutality involved, but later developed great interest and became an acclaimed wrestler.

He later returned to Nigeria in 1970 after he competed in Britain. That was precisely the year he won a championship and held a title in an African heavyweight competition after overpowered a renowned foreign wrestler, Gambia’s Massambula.

Power Mike defeated several noteworthy global superstars from different countries, including Judd Harris, Ali Baba of Lebanon in 1973, Joseph Kovacs, John Tiger of Canada, Johnny Kwango, and Power Jack.

In 1976, he retired from active wrestling and specialized in international sports promotions, bringing foreign wrestlers onto Nigeria’s shores. Some of them included Chris Adams, Thunderbolt Dick the ’Bulldog, Carlos Colon, Brower’Williams, Mil Mascaras, Michael Hayes, The Mongols, Buddy Rose, Mighty Igor and so many others.

It came as shocking news on the 11th day of March 2004 when Power Mike finally gave up at the National Hospital, CBD Abuja, Nigeria, after a prolonged illness.

Nigeria’s first wrestling superstar

Michael Okpala, known everywhere as Power Mike, was born on 8 August 1939 in Neni, Anambra State. He won the African heavyweight professional title in 1970 against Massambula of Gambia and a world heavyweight title against Ali Baba of Lebanon in 1973. After retiring in 1976 he became a promoter, bringing international stars such as the Funk brothers to Nigeria, and served as chairman of the amateur wrestling association. He died in Abuja on 11 March 2004.