Give Dogboe a good fight – Rawlings urges challenger
Former President Jerry John Rawlings has challenged Javier Nicholas Javier Chacon, the Argentinian Super-Bantamweight who challenges Ghana’s WBO International Super Bantamweight Champion, Isaac Dogboe at the Bukom Arena on Saturday, to give the Ghanaian strong man a good fight.
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Flt Lt Rawlings who is a boxing enthusiast himself and once managed boxing in the military, said he was looking forward to a really serious fight and expressed the hope that both fighters and the officials will conduct themselves properly.
He was also expectant that the referee and the judges will give a fair assessment of the fight.
“I am much enthusiastic about boxing so you are pretty much at home. I hope to be at the fight,” Mr. Rawlings said when the two boxers and fight officials paid a courtesy call on him on Friday.
Referee Tony Weeks presented a souvenir to President Rawlings
The former President said the construction of the Bukom Boxing Arena was bound to revive the spirit of boxing and called for further interest in Ghana by the World Boxing Organisation (WBO), under whose umbrella Saturday’s bout is taking place.
Champion Isaac Dogboe assured Ghanaians that he would win the fight.
“It’s going to be a great fight. I assure Team Chacon that they will have a fair fight. In the end we have to give the fans across the world a great fight and also convince them that Ghana is capable of hosting great fights.”
Dogboe also expressed his gratitude to the former President for directly intervening to ensure that the fight took place when he was informed of challenges facing the organisers.
Javier Chacon in response thanked Ghanaians for the great reception and indicated that he had a lot to gain by winning the fight as he was guaranteed a shot at the world title. He indicated that he had undergone a good training camp and done his homework.
Referee Tony Weeks from Nevada who will officiate the fight told the former President he was honoured and privileged to meet him and also to visit Ghana for the first time.
“The people are so warm and friendly. I have officiated some of the greatest fights in the world and I can say that the fight has the same atmosphere of a great fight.”
Earlier in the day the two boxers performed the weigh-in under the eagle eyes of the fight officials at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra.