Sport: Boxing
Born: January 24, 1972
Town: Camden, New Jersey
Prince Badi Ajamu was born January 24, 1972 in Camden. His father named him. Prince first picked up the gloves at age 11 and learned to fight at the local Boys Club. He was “discovered” by Jimmy Forchion when he broke up a street fight in front of his barber shop. Prince continued to fight (inside and outside the ring) after enrolling at Woodrow Wilson High and at Highland High in Blackwood, where his father lived. His remarkable hand speed had the local boxing community predicting great things for him.
At 15, Prince’s career might easily have ended when he fell off a motorcycle and sheared a large part of his calf muscle off the bone. It was similar to the injury that would end the basketball career of fellow New Jerseyan Jay Williams.
At 17, it looked again as if Prince might never achieve his dream to be a boxing champion. This time, he was arrested on drug charges and was incarcerated until age 25. Fortunately, when he was released from prison, he had a day job that enabled him to pick up where he left off—a beauty supply company in Camden he ran with his cousin. A good student during his school days, Prince also found work as a paralegal. He split his training between gyms in Camden and Philadelphia.
Despite his late start, Prince found success as an amateur, winning the Pennsylvania Golden Gloves at 178 pounds. He turned pro in 2001 with a 32–3 amateur record. Unfortunately, he did not have a promoter behind him, so he took fights on short notice for small paydays. Even so, Prince just kept winning.
Prince was crowned IBA Light Heavyweight champ after defeating Sam Hill in Philadelphia in the fall of 2003. After four years, Prince’s record stood at 21–2–1 against mostly second-rate opponents. He was living in Camden, training in Philly, but going nowhere.
Prince seemed doomed to journeyman status when he began training with Buddy McGirt. Then, at age 34, he got a fight in 2006 with the great Roy Jones Jr., who was on the downside of a brilliant career. Ironically, Prince had been called a “Poor Man’s Roy Jones” earlier in his career. After losing the first round, Jones took him apart and won a unanimous 12-round decision.
Six months later, Prince returned to the ring against Craig Cummings in a bout for the vacated WBF light heavyweight crown. Prince won the fight in the second round. In the summer of 2009, he fought what appeared to be his final fight, taking a unanimous decision over DeAndrey Abron in Atlantic City to finish his career 27–3–1.
Prince stayed in boxing, providing technical knowhow and inspiration to young fighters. He also devoted time to bringing attention to the issue of child abduction. Prince stayed in great shape and, in 2017 at the age of 45, he tried a comeback. He fought five more ties, winning three times, including his final bout against Anthony Caputo Smith in Delaware in 2018. It was the 30th victory of Prince’s career and enabled him to retire as the WBF Silver Cruiserweight champion