The origin of boxing as a sport, may be its acceptance by the ancient Greeks as an Olympic game. But earlier boxing records are depicted in Sumerian carvings in Iraq, while an ancient Egyptian relief depicts two fist-fighters and spectators. Other examples can also be found in Assyrian and Babylonian art.
Waheed Abdulridha is an Iraqi soldier and was the sole representative for his country at the Rio 2016 Olympics in boxing. Abdulridha started boxing in 1989 and trains in the Iraqi capital of Baghdad.
His coach Hussein Ali said, boxing was the second most popular sport after football in Iraq and because of the current situation only has one fighter now but hopes to have five or six fully trained by the next Olympics.
"I want to prove to the whole world that the word 'refugee' doesn't always represent fear and weakness. We need to prove to the world that we can still do something [as refugees]" - Abdalla is an 18-year-old Iraqi kickboxer and member of #TeamRefugees at Rio2016.
Eighteen-year-old Gheith Karim was born in Iraq and raised in Dearborn. The boxing community has already dubbed him "The Southpaw Prince", due to his skilled left hand technique in the boxing ring.
He's garnered international support from the Iraqi community and stated: "I'm trying to put Iraq on the map. There's something special in Iraqi fighters. I want to put the Iraqi flag on the title. I want to make the community proud."
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