Ike Quartey: I’ll turn Takyi into a great champion

Legendary boxer turned trainer and promoter, Ike ‘Bazooka’ Quartey, has reiterated his desire to guide Samuel Takyi to greatness in the coming years.

Quartey, who manages Takyi’s pro career as a trainer, told Graphic Sports that he was optimistic he possessed the perfect plan to make the youngster a world champion.

The 21-year-old Olympian has fought three times this year since making his professional debut against Kamalrudeen Boyefio in April.

Takyi traveled to South Africa to beat Mandlenkosi Sibuso in June and stopped Samuel Moses in Nigeria two months later.

In December, Takyi – a bronze medallist at the Tokyo Olympics last year, will be looking to challenge Richard Fenyi for his national lightweight title in what could be one of the biggest showdowns in the festive season.

“Takyi is a very good boxer but it is my duty to make him an international icon by guiding him to a world title,” said Quartey, a former WBA welterweight champion.

“He has shown a lot of potentials but you need a perfect plan to nurture that potential into a world championship contender and that is what we are looking at.

“We are taking it one step at a go to reach our destination and want to finish this year with the national title. That means he must beat whoever has the belt to claim it,” he added.