“Freezy MacBones”: Boxing’s viral knockout artist fighting for equality in Ghana
Seth Gyimah - aka Freezy MacBones - has been compared to Mike Tyson thanks to his viral knockout videos, and is now using his platform to improve equality in his homeland.
Boxing
“Freezy MacBones” may have shaken up the boxing world with his viral knockouts, but he is fighting outside the ring too.
His target - to provide more opportunities at home.
In September last year, the Ghanaian athlete, whose real name is Seth Gyimah, brutally sent a man 30kg heavier than him to the canvas during a sparring session at his local gym in London.
The bone-shuddering video was reposted by the likes of Floyd Mayweather and rapper 50 Cent, quickly earning him comparisons with the legendary USA heavyweight Mike Tyson.
Since then, the Ghanaian pugilist has boxed professionally, trained with London 2012 Olympic gold medallist Anthony Joshua, and his Instagram following has swollen almost as big as those KO blows.
And just like his mentor Joshua, Gyimah now wants to win Olympic gold.
Last month, he announced that he would be joining the Ghana national team in a bid to qualify for Paris 2024 through the Africa Boxing Qualifier.
From mason to ring master
Given Gyimah’s meteoric rise to stardom, it's almost unfathomable that the 33-year-old only laced up boxing gloves for the first time five years ago.
The only son from a family of 10 sisters, back at home he barely made ends meet as a chef and stonemason.
Disillusioned with opportunities and a lack of basic amenities like electricity in his village, he decided to move to the UK in 2012 as an immigrant in search of a better life and a boxing career.
"It's all about you, no one else. It depends what you want, how you want to become, and the people around you,” he told Sky Sports.
"You want to be a boxer, but you're moving with the street boys. I did not do that.
"Talk about boxing, not talk about guns, talk about boxing, not talk about drugs, talk about boxing, not talk about bad energy."
Freezy MacBones: “I come from a place where there is no light, no water, nothing”
After just 18 amateur fights in 11 years, six of which he lost, Gyimah received an opportunity to turn professional thanks to his powerful style garnering a plethora of fans worldwide.
But despite his aggressive approach in the ring and hefty social media profile leading to sponsorships, the light heavyweight remained humble and disciplined.
After winning his second professional bout against experienced UK boxer Darly Sharp at the Copper Box Arena in London in April 2023, Gyimah also won the hearts of the British and Ghanaian public with an emotional post-match interview.
“I work so hard toward my dreams, and I never give up,” he said.
“I never let anyone put me down, I push myself to the limit. I don’t sleep, running at four o’clock, three o’clock like a mad man. People ask me what I am doing, and this is the answer.
“I come from nothing. A place where there is no light, no water, nothing. Now I’m with one of the world’s biggest [boxing] promotions, Queensbury. Come on man, there is a God. I see myself like a winner, no matter what.”
A host of celebrities from his homeland reposted the message, with popular musician Stonebwoy commenting that he was ‘Re-inspired’.
Freezy MacBones: Boxer, entrepreneur, philanthropist
Instead of flashing the spoils of his achievements like so many other professional boxers do, Gyimah uses his platform to promote positivity, dietary tips, and some excellent dance moves.
Outside the ring he has also proven himself as an entrepreneur and philanthropist.
When not training boxers for free in his local community in Brixton, London, the former kitchen porter works on his side business selling plantain chips called ‘Freezy Food’.
The profits help him provide a better life for his family and the village of Bimma back in Ghana.
He has also given interviews to Ghanaian media, in which he urged governments to invest in youth sports as the returns are so positive.
In Gyimah's opinion, offering sports and setting up boxing gyms in every region of Ghana would allow the nation to develop more champions and role models.
Gyimah has already taken steps to make this happen.
In August 2023, he joined Ghana's ‘Black Bombers’ national boxing team in a bid to qualify for the Olympic Games Paris 2024.
Informing his followers of the decision, ‘Freezy’ posted online: “It’s time to make my country, family and friends proud… and bring back the Gold next year".
It won't be an easy road for the man dubbed 'Britain's Mike Tyson', but that's exactly the way he likes it.