Ghana’s Amadu Mohammed is relishing the opportunity to settle an old score with Zambia’s Mwengo Mwale when the two meet in Saturday’s men’s featherweight final at the 2026 IBA Africa Elite Boxing Championships in Kinshasa.
The Ghanaian has vowed to repeat his victory over Mwale, whom he defeated to win bantamweight gold at the Accra 2023 African Games, as two of Africa’s most promising future stars prepare for their first major showdown since both moved up to the 57kg division.
The build-up has been spiced by verbal exchanges, with Mwale questioning the outcome of their previous encounter and insisting that home advantage helped Amadu in Accra.
“He did not beat me. Home-ground advantage saved him. This time will be different. He will be intoxicated by my punches,” the Zambian soldier told Boxersworld.
But Amadu has dismissed the suggestion that his previous victory at the Bukom Boxing Arena in March 2024 was fortunate, insisting he has the tools to prevail again.
“I stopped him in round two, I’ll do the same here,” the Ghanaian southpaw declared.
Amadu, 22, booked his place in the final with a commanding 5-0 victory over Namibia’s Elifas Imene in Wednesday’s semifinal, setting up the eagerly anticipated rematch at the Stade des Martyrs. The Glasgow 2026 bronze medal winner drew a bye into the quarter finals, which he won last Sunday after his Mozambican opponent, Armando Sigalque, suffered an injury in the opening round, forcing the referee to stop the contest.
His progression to the final offers Ghana an opportunity to secure a gold medal at the championships, after the country’s medal prospects were affected by a funding crisis that restricted the Black Bombers to just three male boxers, with no female representation.
Lightweight Ebenezer Ankrah won his round-of-16 contest against Eswatini’s Chawe Innocent Gamedze but was eliminated in the 60 kg quarterfinals by Namibia’s Commonwealth Games silver medalist Tryagain Morning Ndevelo.
Joseph “Jaguar” Commey, the 2022 Commonwealth Games silver medalist and 2023 African Games champion, also settled for bronze after a controversial 4-3 defeat after bout review to Cape Verde’s Kevin Admolson in the light-welterweight semifinals. Bombers coach Charles Quartey questioned the decision, insisting Commey had dominated the contest. The 23 year old previously edged Congo-Brazzaville’s Loulendo Dieu Merci 3-2 on split points in the quarter finals.
With Commey and Ankrah out of contention, Amadu carries Ghana’s hopes of turning its difficult campaign into a gold-medal triumph.
