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 Isaac Dogboe —Was one of Ghana’s star performers during the year
Isaac Dogboe —Was one of Ghana’s star performers during the year

Boxing: New talents, modern gym highlight 2016

The year 2016 witnessed a major renaissance in boxing through the emergence of world champions, new talents and most important of all, infrastructure.

The latter part of the year saw a new state-of-the-art boxing gymnasium commissioned by the then President John Dramani Mahama. The facility could not have been sited at a better place than the heartbeat of the sport, Bukom, in James Town, Accra, and aptly named Bukom Boxing Arena.

The commissioning came with it a new world champion two weeks later when home favourite, Emmanuel “Gameboy” Tagoe, kayoed South African Mzonke Fana to win the WBO title.

Three weeks earlier, the new kid on the block, Isaac Dogboe, had defeated Argentine Julian Evaristo Aristule to win the vacant WBO International super bantamweight title in New Zealand to the admiration of the President-elect, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.

Dogboe, 22, has carved a niche for himself among boxing fans in the country for being the show stopper and his relentless punching power has endeared him to many in the discipline.

The young fighter, who is managed and coached by his dad, Paul Dogboe, hopes to annex and unify all the world titles in the bantamweight and featherweight divisions in 2017.

However, another lightweight boxer, Richard Oblitey Commey, failed to glitter in the year 2016. The 29-year-old came close to a world title, lost two fights in a row, under some controversial circumstances.

The Bukom-based boxer lost the lightweight title to Robert Easter Junior in September at the Santander Arena in Reading, Pennslyvania, under controversial circumstances, before adding up to his misery with another loss to Russian Denis Shafikov in December.

On the amateur front, Black Bombers failed to shine at the Rio Olympics, while former bombers coach Ofori Asare became the first Ghanaian to be awarded an AIBA coaches instructors certificate.

Middleweight boxer, Obodai Sai, continued his adventure for a world title; lightweight fighter Raphael Mensah challenged local hero Emmanuel Gameboy Tagoe to a brawl which never happened, while young pugilist Duke Micah swept two clean victories outside the country.

Obituary

Nonetheless, the year 2016 witnessed one of the bleak eras in the annals of boxing in the country following the loss of four giants in the sport.

Two veteran trainers and pillars in the development of amateur boxing in the country, Godwin Kotey Dzanie, a.k.a Alloway, and Emmanuel Teiko Tagoe, alias Akese, succumbed to death’s icy hands.

Akese, 56, worked with the likes of Azumah Neslon, Ike Quartey, Joshua Clottey, Braimah Kamoko, alias Bukom Banku, Emmanuel Gameboy Tagoe and Ayittey Powers, while Alloway, 56, saw through the careers of Azumah Nelson, Joshua Clottey and Joseph Agbeko.

Another colossus and match-maker, Ako Patterson, alias Ako, passed away in the latter part of the year after a sudden unconsciousness.

The latter part of the year also saw the demise of boxing promoter, manager and a former executive member of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), Francis Decland, alias Obric Sallah.

He was instrumental in shaping the lives of many boxers, including Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, Joshua Clottey, Joseph Agbeko and Nana Yaw Konadu.

The way forward

Boxing still lacks an organised structure in the country. Despite the Ghana Boxing Authority(GBA) stepping its foot down in the organisation of bouts,many boxers are exploited by managers and promoters.

During the Emmanuel Tagoe and Mzonke Fana world title bout at the Bukom Boxing Arena on December 2, an undercard fighter nearly disrupt proceedings.

His beef was that he was promised a payment after his bout only to be denied his due. This was a serious blight and a dent on an otherwise blissful nights for fans and boxers Tagoe and Obodai Sai.

It was also an indictment on the GBA as the incident is a usual occurrence during boxing matches at many centres.

The sport lacks uniformity and orderliness. Many boxers are exploited by promoters and managers and taken outside the country to engage in fix and arranged bouts.

During major international bouts staged in the country,undercards bouts are fixed and arranged and this must stop.

Authorities must put measures to stop the black market aspect of boxing. Every deal and agreement of a bout must pass through the GBA for it to be sanctioned.

More facilties are also needed for the rapid development of the sports. Accra, the hearbeat of the discipline has inadequate boxing gyms. It must be addresed by the GBA.

Boxing in Ghana has a bright future and all must come on board to make it credible and a reliable avenue for youth employment and national pride.

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