That's why it's a matter of some national concern that Brazil, a football-mad country with a seemingly neverending conveyor belt of talent, has never won the Olympic tournament -- not with its men, or its also highly-talented women.
Around him stood an entourage of fierce-looking, dark-skinned barefoot men in similar attire, each with a sword or dagger bound to his waist by a gold-encrusted belt.
But Afolabi spoilt his plans for unification world domination to claim the interim WBO cruiserweight belt, taken his record to 14 wins from 17 professional fights with his shock success at the MEN Arena.