Duke McKenzie features in episode 19 of Sky Sports' My Icon series
Wednesday 18 October 2017 21:56, UK
Duke McKenzie insists sportsmen and women must accept they are considered by many as role models in society.
The youngest of a band of south London-based boxing brothers, McKenzie is the only British fighter in the last 100 years to win three world titles in three different weight classes.
Duke did not have to look far for role models when he was young and says: "All that I am, and all that I'll ever be, I owe to my brothers."
Eldest sibling Clinton represented Great Britain at the 1976 Olympics and was a former British and European champion. Brother Winston became a national champion, and late brother Dudley, with whom Duke shared a room when they were young, went eight years unbeaten as an amateur.
But McKenzie knows most youngsters are not fortunate enough to have role models like that at close-quarters and often turn elsewhere for inspiration.
In episode 19 of Sky Sports' My Icon series, McKenzie says: "Young kids today are crying out for role models [and] young kids today are watching everything you do if you are on TV.
"There is all kinds of social media involved in people's lives now. I think young people today watch more and more sport - probably more than ever - and there are a lot of black sportspeople that are very, very successful. So they have a duty of care to kids."
McKenzie talks about his journey in the latest instalment of My Icon, which premieres on Wednesday at 7am on Sky Sports Mix and is available On Demand. The episode is repeated on Wednesday at 1pm, 6pm and 10pm.
Coinciding with Black History Month, Sky Sports' #MyIcon campaign brings you 31 exclusive interviews with top BAME sports personalities across the month of October. For more information click here.
