I was going to be bigger than AJ, but was almost blind, now I train Butterbean

ANTHONY OGOGO has suffered the heartbreaking eye injury that forced him to retire from boxing at the age of 30.

The 35-year-old ace was once tipped to become Britain's next great boxer after coming through the ranks of Team GB ahead of Anthony Joshua.

Anthony Ogogo was once tipped as the biggest name in British boxingCredit: Getty

Ogogo started his career with a bronze medal in London 2012Credit: PA:Press Association

Ogogo set the stage for a successful career in the ring after winning the bronze medal at the 2012 London Olympics.

He won his first eleven fights and set up a fight against Craig Cunningham in 2016 for the vacant WBC International middleweight title.

But Ogogo suffered a defeat against his compatriot and eventually broke his eye socket.

It would prove to be his last ever boxing fight as Ogogo struggled to be properly diagnosed by doctors.

He became nearly blind after nine operations and finally called it quits in 2019.

But after reinventing himself as an actor, podcaster and wrestler, Ogogo is now enjoying boxing again after training with iconic fighter Butterbean.

Ogogo told talkSPORT: “(It was the) hardest time of my life. My press conference was much bigger than Joshua's, much bigger than Luke Campbell's. I was going to be the face of Golden Boy UK.

“I had everything it took to reach the top of this world, and then my eye exploded. Those three years, from my eye pain in 2016 to my retirement in 2019, were the hardest three years of my life.

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“I wouldn't wish it on anyone. I have had nine operations. During one of my operations my heart stopped on the operating table. Now my life is being played with and I still chose to have an operation. [five] more operations.”

Ogogo, who almost went blind, said: “The fracture I suffered was not that bad. It was the wrong diagnosis, the wrong operation, the injection went completely wrong. I must have done something really bad in a previous life to get the unlucky one. circumstances I had to deal with.

Boxer Anthony Ogogo has retired from the sport after admitting defeat in his bid to recover from eye injury

He won his first eleven professional fights, but lost to Craig Cunningham in 2016Credit: Getty

An eye injury left Ogogo nearly blind, and he required nine surgeries before retiring in 2019Credit: Getty

“I saw Kel [Brook’s] doctor after I had already had the wrong surgery. Dr. Muhammad Ali, believe it or not, and he said to me, 'You need a time machine, because as soon as they did, your career was over.'

'The break I had wasn't nearly as bad as Kell's, in either of his eyes, but what they did ruined everything and I can never get that back.

“I lost my career, my passion, my sight in my left eye and every possible way to compensate me for this very bad journey I have been on. It took me a long time to get rid of all that.”

On his friendship with Butterbean, who is eyeing a comeback to boxing, Ogogo added: “I know Bean very well, he is such a nice guy.

'He was on death's doorstep. He was too big to get new hips. He lost a lot of weight, got new hips and progressed quickly. 18 months. I do six rounds on the pads with him.

“He can still pop! The boy can still pop, buddy! My work with him is boxing work and also mentality matters, health matters.

“You know, he's a great role model, he's been in trouble, and he's gotten back up and now he wants another fight.

“He wants to end his story with one more fight and I will be in his corner on fight night because I like him, care for him, trust him, trained him and I want to be there to protect him.”