His love for his mother is obvious as he openly shows this affection in his consideration of her, the mother is the backbone of his hard work in everything that he does.

His achievements have emerged out of hard work and sheer will, these virtues he relates to his mother’s tenacity.

He posits that; “It’s instilled in me. I get it from my mum - that’s the strongest person I know. Not the most energetic woman, don’t categorize her. That is the strongest person I know. This lady never slept and raised all her seven kids.”

Referred to as a time keeper especially during his work outs, Hino, as he is famously called, says that his motivation is from the examples that he draws from his mother’s life.

His desire is never to disappoint the mother who taught him never to give up; “If I wake up in the morning to go to the gym at 6 am and I’m super tired. The first person I think about is…my mother would never be tired. She would never even show it. So, that’s exactly who I get it from. She’s the strongest person I know.”

At a tender age, his family moved to the United States where culture shock and the change was the beginning of the change in his life.

His long name was an attraction of curiosity as people pondered on the importance of such a name. The teachers were often surprised at his name and his huge body frame.

“The first day of class the teacher is like…..”Whoa, time out…I’ve been teaching 27 years. This one is big. Please help me say it. Help me.

"And I’m like it’s just like its spelled, and she’s like, “Okay, I’m going to learn it before the semester is over.”

The boxer started training at an early age and in 2004 he turned professional, and his debut was marked by his win over American Anthony Riddick, who he defeated by a knockout in the first round of their fight.

Hino has enjoyed an illustrious career that has seen him participate in nineteen fights out of which he has won 15 fights and lost four. Out of his 15 wins, seven have been by technical knockouts to his opponents.

Despite his achievements in the rings, his love for his country of birth is so ingrained in him that he went ahead to have it on his back.

“I got that huge tattoo on my back for the rest of my life. It’s like a statement… carrying my country and my continent on my back. For people to remember, I said let me get this tattoo.”

His success has not erased the African in him, and it makes him be counted among the African greats.