Major and Latest Boxing news in Ghana
Shittu, Konadu to get WBC aid
Two retired Ghanaian boxers, Sulley Shittu and Marvellous Nana Yaw Konadu, have been named by the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) as the next in line to benefit from a WBC Fund set aside by the world body for retired and needy champions.
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Consequently, the GBA is set to submit the application at the WBC 2016 Convention scheduled for Miami, Florida in December.
This follows the first such benefit extended to Ghana’s first ever world champion, David Kotei (D.K.) Poison, and one-time WBC International flyweight champion, Michael Ebo Danquah, after a request made on their behalf by the GBA two years ago.
Just last week, the GBA presented cash amounts of $4,800 and $3,600 to D.K and Danquah respectively, received from the WBC for the retired great boxers.
According to the president of the GBA, Peter Zwennes, the association, in December 2014, applied to the WBC Fund for the ex-international boxers but “it took a while for the application to be approved because there were many applicants in the cue”.
“And even after the grants were approved, it took more than one year, including several reminders and appeals from the GBA, for the transfer to be effected,” he noted.
While expressing gratitude to the WBC for its intervention, Mr Zwennes also drew the attention of the other major world bodies, such as the WBA, the IBF and the WBO, to take a cue from the WBC.
The WBC Grant, also called the Jose Suleiman Fund, was launched in 2013 by the former President of the WBC, Jose Suleiman, with a seed money of $1 million to assist retired world champions in financial and medical distress, particularly those who fought within the ranks of the WBC.
“Apart from financial and medical challenges, those facing accommodation and related hardships were also eligible to apply to grants up to $10,000 a year,” Mr Zwennes said.
The first recipients of the grant in 2013 included former heavyweight champion, Leon Spinks, Gerrard McCllellan (who was hospitalised for a long period after his fight with Nigel Benn), Iran “The Blade” Barkley, Mike “The Body Snatcher” Macallum, Meldrick Taylor and Livingston Bramble.