Ghana’s team which has for the past weeks been engaged in a non-residential camping will move their preparations into top gear on Tuesday, April 4, by going on a residential camping.   The residential camping which, will last till April 18, will take the boxers through the necessary preparations for the Ghana/Nigeria tourney as well as the Olympic qualifier.

GNA

 Information reaching the GNA Sports in Accra indicates that GABA, as part of the conditions attached, the country will be required to contribute 15 per cent of the grant when it is approved.  GABA will in addition organize regional championships in all the ten Regions in a bid to raise a team for AIBA regional training camps.

It is the first time that GABA has been able to successfully apply for the AIBA grant and the Authority is therefore confident that the grant will help boost the development of boxing in the country.  According to the information, the grant will also afford GABA the opportunity to unearth more boxing talents in preparation for the Commonwealth Games and other international assignments.

GNA

The Ghanaian boxer has to his record 19 fights with 15 wins, three losses one draw and eight knockouts whilst his Georgian opponent has eight fight record, six wins, one loss and one draw.  The 12 round world championship fight is to be promoted by Ghacal Group Incorporated in collaboration with the Ghana Boxing Authority.

On the main bill for the night are two Pan African championship fights involving Ghana’s Hammond Lartekwei against Anicet Amoussou of Benin also in a 12 round WBA Middleweight Championship while Patrick Okine also of Ghana Takes on Ghislain Vodouhnessi also of Benin.

Lartekwei has a 21 fight record 15 wins, five losses and five knockouts while his Benin challenger has 12 fights 10 wins, two losses and three knockouts.  Okine has 10 fights to his credit with eight wins, one loss one draw and six knockouts while his Benin challenger, Vodouhnessi has a larger fight record of 17 with 15 wins, two losses and eight knockouts.

In a WBA Pan Africa Super Lightweight championship, Albert Mensah will slug it out against fellow Ghanaian Isaac Quartey in a 12 round contest.
  Mensah has 25 fight records with 22 wins three losses and nine knockouts while Quartey has a 16 fight record, 12 wins, four losses and six knockouts.
  On the same bill will be a local 10-round Welterweight Challenge contest between Ghana’s Kofi Manu as he faces Joseph Lamptey.
  Manu has a 10 fight record with six wins, four losses with no knockout while Lamptey has eight fight record, four wins four losses with no knockout.
  The promoters, Ghacal Group Incorporated have promised an exciting night for boxing lovers and urged all to come in their numbers to support their idol s to victory.

GNA
AMG
21 March 10

It was painful to watch, and I had to wondered whether Clottey was just happy to be sharing the same stage with Pacquiao or he was there there to give his opponent a run for his bucks. Come to think of it Clottey, had an opportunity that the great Azumah Nelson would envy. Aside from the fat check Clottey got, he had the chance to be carve his name in boxing history had he beaten Pacquiao. Not only that, he would have most likely earned a date with Mayweather had he dethroned the pride of the Philippines. All these were lost on Clottey because it appears, judging from his “manny, manny” chants that he was just happy to fight Pacquiao and not the possibilities that a win presented.

No doubt Pacquiao is a superior boxer as he schooled a clueless Clottey to secure a unanimous decision. But did Clottey present a formidable challenge? Folks, i assess Clottey was more than happy to mount the ring with Pacquiao than becoming a boxing legend. That is my Pesewa. Have your say.

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite

The message urged Clottey to imitate the action of Tiger when the “action of war blows into your ears.”  It said it was the hope of members that with the boxer’s commitment and determination he will come out with flying colours when it matters most.  The message assured Clottey of the Association’s support and appealed to Ghanaians to support him with the needed prayers to achieve his aim of winning the world boxing title which has eluded the country for some time now.

GNA

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite

They are Manyo Plange, Frederick Lawson, Emmanuel Quartey, Issah Samir, Habib Ahmed, Awusone Yekini and Ahmed Saraku. According to information gathered by GNA Sports from Mauritius, the qualified boxers were also the nation’s medal winners at the just ended 16th African Boxing Championship in Mauritius.

Ghana amassed one gold, one silver and five bronze medals at the championship that pieced together the finest amateur boxers on the continent.

Plange, the reigning SWAG Amateur Boxer of the year claimed Ghana’s only Gold medal at the July 20 to July 26 championship by defeating Lavigilante Olivier of Mauritius 8-1 in the Light Flyweight Division. Lawson also won silver after losing 2-8 to Moroccan Bella Adil in the Welterweight division.

Quartey, Samir, Ahmed, Yekini and Saraku also clinched bronze in the Bantamweight, Light Welterweight, Middleweight, Super Heavyweight and Light Heavyweight bouts respectively after losses at the semi-finals stage.

The World Championship has been fixed for September 1 to 12 in Milan, the second largest city of Italy. Meanwhile, the team is expected back on Wednesday, July 29.

IBF Bantamweight Champion, Agbeko

Accra, July 24, GNA – Joseph Agbeko – International Boxing Federation (IBF) Bantamweight Champion has said that his major target now is to unify all titles in his weight division.

Speaking at a press conference in Accra on Friday, the champion said unifying the belts at his weight category will confirm his credentials as one of the greatest boxers of his time.

Agbeko noted that even though unifying the belts will come with great challenges, he was confident of overcoming them since he had gone through the mill and wants to rule for long as well.

 “Because of this I’m going back to the gym immediately to begin preparations for the next fight. I will not rest till I achieve my targets. “I want to emulate the achievements of the likes of Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey and other great boxers in Ghana so I will not rest at all.” 

According to the boxer his triumph over William Gonzalez in his first world title fight was the toughest, since he was coming back to the ring after a long lay off but added that he is now prepared for every challenge. “I can assure all that no boxer in my weight category can beat me now, because I have scaled over bigger challenges,” he stated.

Agbeko revealed that he was keen on moving up to the Super Bantamweight division in the shortest possible time, but stated that “I have to concentrate on where I am now.” Commenting his fight against Vic Dachiyan, the boxer reckoned that the Armenian was a tough opponent but said his strategy worked to perfection.

He added that he was motivated by the support of Ghanaians for the past years’ and was ready to make the nation proud at all times. “When things were not going well in the ring, I told myself that I cannot let Ghanaians down, I have to win at all cost and this pushed me to deliver.”

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite

IBF Bantamweight Champion Agbeko

Accra, July 22, GNA – Joseph Agbeko, the IBF Bantamweight World Boxing Champion returned to Accra on Wednesday morning after successfully defending his title against Armenian, Vic Darchinyan in the United States of America on July 11th, 2009.

 The IBF Bantamweight champion showed his class when he defeated the unified Super Flyweight champion Darchinyan by a unanimous decision a fortnight ago at the Bank Atlantic Centre in Sunrise, Florida, USA.

Agbeko was met at the Kotoka International Airport by a large crowd of cheering fans and supporters as well as a number of dignitaries and boxing enthusiasts.

Former Ghanaian Featherweight champion, Azuma Nelson, congratulated Mr. Agbeko and commended him for his humility and hard work that ensured his victory and added it is his hope that the champion would hold his title for a long time. 

Former President, Jerry John Rawlings who made a surprise appearance at the Airport to welcome the champion, wished the boxing champion well and encouraged him to do better.

Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, Minister of Youth and Sports, described the appearance of the former President at the airport to welcome the boxer as both divine and timely and thanked him for his encouragement. 

 The Minister pledged government’s support to all sports men and women, adding that lesser known sports would be a major focus of the ministry.

He said government would build a national boxing team where boxing champions like Azuma Nelson and Joseph Agbeko would motivate young and up-coming boxers.

Agbeko thanked Azuma Nelson, former President Rawlings and his numerous supporters for their support and pledged that with hard work he has the hope of following in the footsteps of Nelson.  He also thanked Ghanaians for their unyielding support.

Agbeko is expected to be treated to a dinner on Wednesday evening and also address a press conference at the MTN Soccer Academy house at Ridge on Thursday afternoon.

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite

Clottey who made this remarks on Wednesday during a courtesy call on the Youth and Sports Minister, Mr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, said plans are far advanced for his comeback.

“My managers are working hard to get me Mosley or Berto. It is scheduled for November and it will be one of the two.” Berto, 25, is the WBC Welterweight champion while 37-year old Mosley is the reigning WBC Super Welterweight champion.

A fight against any of the two boxers will surely land the Orthodox boxer closer to another World title. The hard-hitting Clottey who vacated his IBF title to face Cotto for the WBO title insists he has no regrets over that decision.

 “I don’t regret the decision to relinquish the IBF title. A champion must always fight the best. It was the best decision I took and I have no regrets. Sometimes it is not just being a champion, but a worthy champion.

“About 23,000 fans watched my fight against Cotto and it really exposed me to the boxing world. No Ghanaian boxer has attracted such crowd. The Ike Quartey-Dela Hoya contest in 1999 was closest, attracting 22,000 fans.” Clottey expressed optimism of becoming a world champion in the not to distant future.

Mr Pelpuo assured Clottey of the Ministry’s support and urged him on his quest at becoming a champion again. Clottey beat Zab Judah on August 2, 2008 to claim the IBF Welterweight title.

IBF Bantamweight Champion Agbeko

Accra, July 13, GNA – The Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) has sent a congratulatory message to Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko for the successful defence of his International Boxing Federation (IBF) Bantamweight title last Saturday.

A statement signed by Mr William D. Ezah, acting General Secretary of SWAG said the victory over hard hitting Vic Darchinyan brings further joy to the entire public especially in these exciting moments.

The statement said Agbeko through the victory has once again demonstrated his determination and hunger for success. It said the victory has also ensured that Ghana’s name remains in the record books of international boxing as the only world champion from the country. “It is our hope that you will remain focused, committed and dedicated to the cause of maintaining the title as long as possible.”

The statement said SWAG on its part will also ensure that Agbeko is given the needed support in terms of publicity and recognition.

It therefore urged other young and upcoming boxers to emulate the example of Agbeko who has throughout his career exhibited a mark of a serious boxer.

Start Slide Show with PicLens Lite