Another Olympic Boxing teammate gone too soon. David Defiagbon won a silver medal at the 1996 Olympic games in the heavyweight division for Canada. I First met David at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in Auckland, New Zealand where he was competing for his home country of Nigeria. He won a Gold medal at those games where he fought our Canadian teammate Greg Johnson in the finals as a welterweight. It was there that he told me his dream was to move to Canada somehow - someday. It was not an easy journey for David but with the Help of Taylor and Wayne Gordon he made his way to Canada, gaining citizenship and a berth on the Olympic ‘96 team. His gentle voice and infectious smile will be missed. Thoughts and prayers go out to David’s family and boxing friends. RIP Champ!
A tribute video we made in memory of David Defiagbon
Excerpt from Steve Buffery Toronto Sum article Nov 28, 2018
Former national team fighter Domenic Filane remembers Defiagbon approaching him at the 1990 Commonwealth Games in New Zealand.
“He came over and sat down beside me and started talking away as if we had been friends for years. He told me how one day he would defect from Nigeria where his life is tough and move to Canada and compete for us and be my teammate. He was very sincere,” Filane said. “Fast forward to the (1992) Barcelona Olympics, I was standing in line for weigh-ins when all of a sudden some big guy lifts me up off my feet which seemed like six feet in the air and yells ‘Domenic my Canadian friend!’ I turn and get a look at who it is and it’s the crazy Nigerian David. He tells me he is still one day going to be my teammate.
“Fast forward to 1996 Atlanta Olympics and I’m sitting in line for the weigh-ins with David by my side. He says to me with a soft tone and infectious smile. ‘See Domenic, I told you I would be your teammate.’
“I will never forget that guy.”