Frazer Clarke: I’m a proud Brit, but Jamaica has made me the fighter I am

As a proud Briton with roots in Jamaica, Black History Month is a month of celebration for me.

I find myself smiling all month long during October because it is a time when I think a lot about my family – that’s not just my immediate family here in the UK, but my relatives in the Caribbean.

My Dad came to England aged 16 with my Nan, leaving their family behind and looking for better opportunities in life. Dad brought a lot of that Jamaican pride and culture over here with him.

I am so proud of him and he’s proud of me. He is my biggest role model. At 69 he is still at it and won’t stop, and I have inherited his work ethic and strength.

He’s straight-up with no bulls**t and I try to take that from his personality.

Jamaica represents my laidback side, my relaxed side, my happy side. I love a giggle and that comes from the Jamaican part of me. When I’ve been to Jamaica to visit family, I have always been so well looked after and that has always stayed with me.

Everyone in Islington, where my family live, tries to gather around a television to watch my fights and that means so much to me. It’s so important for me to have that link back to my heritage.

I can remember how it felt to be a boxer lining up to represent Great Britain at the Olympics last year, where I took bronze in the super-heavyweight division in Tokyo.

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I am very proud to be British but I think Jamaica makes the fighter in me. I’ve always fought under the Union flag but I would be lying if I said Jamaica doesn’t make up a big part of who