Ghana Super Bantamweight Champion Theophilus Tetteh leaves for RSA

Ghana’s Super Bantamweight Champion Theophilus Tetteh has left the country over the weekend with his team and coach to the Republic of South Africa (RSA) to battle it out with South African’s country man Ayabonga Sonjica for the Vacant IBF Africa Jr Super Featherweight  title.

He asked for prayers from Ghanaians and best wishes as he is determined to win.

Team Tetteh was accompanies by Michael Baron Quartey.

Meanwhile, top boxing expert Ataa Eddie Pappoe has advised Tetteh not to be complacent, but be determined to fight to the final round and take advantage of any knock out opportunity that comes.

The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) and Friends of Boxing group have sent good luck messages to Theo Tetteh.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

Joseph Esso a member of the Black Stars, national team of Ghana has completed his three-year move to Algerian giants Mouloudia Club d’Alger.

The Dreams FC playmaker who played for Accra Hearts of Oak in the Ghana Premier League to gain popularity and experience landed in Algiers last Friday and passed his medicals.

Esso, 24 scored 11 goals for the Dawu based football club which caught the attention of Black Stars coach C.K Akonnor to invite him to the national team.

He will wear his favourite number No. 10 jersey.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The Greater Accra Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) in collaboration with Women In Sports Association (WISA) is organising a Female Boxing Championship dubbed ‘Girls Box’ at the old City Engineers Premise (Attoh Quarshie Gym) at James Town on Saturday April 24, 2021 at 5pm.

According to Sarah Lotus Asare, the Coordinator of the programme, the10 bouts event would feature 20 female boxers including some of the Black Bombers like Faruiza Osman, Sarah Apau, Rahman Ablorh, Manteaw Trudy, Priscilla Toffah, Mariam Mohammed and Ramatu Quaye.

She said the theme of the event is – “getting girls out of the streets and curbing teenage pregnancy”.

She noted that many girls are wasting their lives and thinks something must be done for them, to be put in business, trading, sports and other sustainable occupations.

Miss Sarah Asare appealed to female organisations for support. She also called on the Member of Parliament for Odododiodoo, Hon. Nii Lante Vanderpuije and Mayor of Accra, Hon Adjei Sowah and Assembly members in the Greater Accra Region to support he programme.

There would be some female musicians and entertainers to spice up the programme.

Meanwhile, the Chairperson of the Women’s Commission of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) Madam Elizabeth S. King and Madam Gloria Commodore have pledge support for the programme.

All other female boxers who wish to take part can contact 0245152756 for registration.

By Sammy Heywood Okine / Elizabeth Alhassan

Ghanaian duo Kudus Mohammed (midfielder) and (striker) Brian Brobbey who has represented the Netherlands at youth levels, yet  has declared his readiness to play for Ghana, both featured for Ajax in their 2-1 victory over Vitesse 2-1 to clinch the Dutch Cup title on Sunday.

Brobbey made 9 appearances and scored 3 goals for Ajax after he was promoted to the senior side.

Kudus despite been hampered with injuries made 12 appearances, scored 2 and assisted 3.

However, Brobbey will join RB Leipzig in the  German Bundesliga at the end of the season.

Joseph Awinongya Jnr. – the sensational cool and collected amazing hard hitting young boxer is being compared to some of the best boxers in the world.

He is being measured with the likes of Floyd Mayweather Jnr, Felix Trinidad, Andre Ward, Shakur Stevenson, Mikey Garcia, Oscar De La Hoya, and Fernando Vargas.

The difference is that he is already in college, and an 8x national champion at 13 years old.

One may ask if these champions were known worldwide when they were at his current age.

His dad, Joseph Awinongya Snr. who happens to be his coach is so proud that the boy is becoming a super icon.

Plans are that he will continue with what he loves doing and take part in the Olympic Games in the future, before turing professional.

Junior has also decided to help people by working in the health sector to save lives after school. He has chosen nursing and hopes to practice medicine it like he loves boxing.

Meanwhile, Friends of Boxing in Ghana have hailed him on winning his eighth USA Nationals Boxing Championship medal.  

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The President of Women Sports Association of Ghana (WOSPAG), Mrs. Joyce Mahama has appealed to the Disciplinary Committee of the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to consider the ban on female player Rabi Musah of Fabulous Ladies.

She said it is so sad, "One year is such a long time, hope we can plead for the punishment to be reduced since this might be her first time and have her apologize publicly. We will see what we can do to help. We will also take this opportunity to advise that all female athletes should behave well on the field of play during matches / tournaments especially. We are very sorry this happened " she expressed.

Rabi Musah on 27th of February 2021, during the match which was played at the Ejisu Okese Park verbally and physically abused referee Faizatu Japka, an act which was deemed to have breached the laws of the game and regulations of the association.

In accordance with Article 12(4) of the GFA Disciplinary Code 2019, Rabi Musah is banned from taking part in all football related activity with immediate effect from April 13, 2021 to April 12, 2022.

The Committee has also handed her a fine of Five Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc5,000.00).

Three Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc3,000.00) of which is suspended due to the player’s plea for leniency leaving a fine of Two Thousand Ghana Cedis (GHc2,000.00) to be paid.

Mrs Mahama was one of the contestants for an Executive Board member position at the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) Elections, but her Yellow Team entirely lost every position to the Green Team led by Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah.

She has promised to put the elections behind and support the good works of the hard working president.

She urged all female sports groups to support the Green Team for a better Ghana in sports.

She congratulated all the athletes who have qualified to the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, and prayed that they win medals for the nation.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The James Town Fight Night – Road To Glory staged last Saturday night at the Bukom Boxing Arena by young promoter Edwin Evans of Winbase Promotions lived up to its billing as all the boxers did well and the winners showed that the nation has back up for the former champions.

Indeed the stars of the future showed that they are ready for the big stages.

Edwin Evans said he wants to support the up and coming talented boxers who are meticulous, so he decided to uncover and mentor a few talents from James Town, the cradle of boxing in Ghana, and propel them to the international and world level.

Michael Decardi Nelson and Moses Adjei Selvi put up a great bout which ended in a draw for the fans to call for a re match and a prize at stake for the winner.

Nelson who has three fights previously had it really tough against the debutant who promised to give boxing fans a taste of professional boxing.

Benjamin Lamptey aka ‘Daddy Lumba’ scored a Round 3 KO over William Commey,  a last minute sub for Charles Amateifio in a non title Lightweight contest.

The Star of the future, Mohammed ‘Golden Boy’Aryeetey also had it not easy but won against Isaac ‘Iron Mike Tyson’ Aryeetey.

After winning his fourth fight within two months, he is determined to climb up into the national ranks and later the international platform.

Mohammed Aryeetey is eager to go the extra mile with much determination and hard work to enable him counted among the world champions in the history of boxing

In other expected exciting parings, Yusif Seidu defeated John Quaye, Derrick Quaye and Elvis Mensah also did well.

Mohammed Fuseini and Joseph Akai Nettey from the Charles Quartey boxing Foundation all had KO wins.

Yours Truly commends the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) and the organisers for ensuring that all Covid -19 protocols were observed at the Arena as fans wore their nose masks and sat in distances.

The Black Bombers who are going to Japan were at the Arena to watch the event. Also present were some GBA executives including President Peter Zwennes.

By Sammy Heywood Okine

The next mouth watering boxing promotion is at the Lebanon House at Tudu in Accra on 1st May, 2021.

13 interesting bouts are expected to thrill boxing fans to celebrate the May Day,

Featuring on top of the bill is the National / WABU Super Middleweight Championship over 12/3 between Mawuli Folivi (Sonia Gym) and Eliasu Sulley  (Seconds-Out Gym).

The National Super Welterweight Title 12/3 is also for grabs between Musa Lawson (Reformer’s Gym) against Collinson Korley (Discipline Gym).

A Super Lightweight Contest 8/3 will see crowd puller Faisal Abubakar representing Bronx Gym clashing with Gabriel Coffie of Sea View Gym.

Manyo Plange of the Fit-Square Gym will face old ex champion Raymond Commey of the Palmspring Gym in a WABU Bantamweight Contest over 8/3.

Sherrif Seidu of Panix Gym will clash with Enock Lamptey of Sonia Gym in a Super Featherweight Contest 8/3.

A Heavyweight Contest over 8/3 will spice the bill as Osumanu Haruna of The Gym meets John Dugu from De Oak Gym.

Abraham Afful of The Gym will meet Moses Lartey Sonia Gym in a Welterweight contest over 8/3.

Michael Osuman Osunla representing Blank Panther Gym will clash with Cudjoe Darah of the Seconds-Out Gym in a Super Middleweight contest over 8/3.

Richard Fenyi of Fit-Square Gym will meet Odartei Lamptey of the Palmspring Gym in a Lightweight Contest over 8/3.

Daniel Gorsh of the Bronx Gym will face Kofi Atanga from the Indigo Gym in a Bantamweight Contest over 6/3.

There will be an international Middleweight contest over 8/3 between John Koudeha from Togo and Niamou Aziz Samson from the Seconds-Out Gym.

Abdul Ali  of Seconds-Out Gym clashes with Francis Mensah from the Volta Region in a Light Heavyweight Contest over 8/3.

Rising star Jacob Dickson of the Bronx Gym will face Jones Quarshie of the Indigo Gym in another  Light Heavyweight Contest over 8/3.

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By Sammy Heywood Okine

Norwich City won promotion back to the Premier League after Swansea and Brentford failed to win their matches in the Championship on Saturday.

Swansea's 2-2 draw with Wycombe and Brentford's stalemate with Millwall saw the Canaries return to the top flight without even kicking a ball.

They were relegated from the top flight last season but secure their fourth promotion to the Premier League in a decade thank to Saturday's results.

They have done so with five games to spare in the Championship, and play Bournemouth at 8pm GMT on Saturday with the pressure already off.

They have not yet secured the Championship title, but closest rivals Watford suffered a 1-0 defeat to Luton to give Norwich one hand on the trophy. They lead the Hornets by eight points and have a game in hand.

By Eurosport

Ghana’s Amateur boxing team the Black Bombers will spend four weeks in Japan’s Eastern Pacific Coastal city of Inawashiro before moving to the Olympics Games village, according to the President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah.

This will follow two stages of training camps in Ghana.

With 96 days more for the biggest sports festival to be held without spectators, the Ghana Olympic Committee is pulling its resources together and collaborating with sponsors and the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation to ensure a hindrance-free participation.

The Black Bombers are currently on a non-residential camping whereby the come from home to train at the Accra Sports Stadium (D.G. Hathiramani Hall).

Mr. George Lamptey, President of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation (GABF) says all is well with the non residential as the boxers are self motivated and ready to make names for themselves. He revealed his satisfaction for the preparations so far and thanked the GOC for their support and inspiration.

He said the team has three stages of the training, which are expected to prepare the team for the games. The first, which is daily non-residential camping, is being strictly supervised by head coach Ofori Asare who has made four appearances at the Olympics. 

The second will be an intensive residential camping at Sogakope which will involve surveillance of the training.

With the safety of the boxers and officials in mind, the GOC has assured that they would be tested and provided all safety materials and information, while their movement would be controlled to stop any possible covid-19 infections.

The third and final stage will be a one month camp in Dr Hideyo Nogouchi’s hometown of Inawashiro ahead of the games. Dr Nougouchi is a Japanese bacteriologist whose life and work in Ghana led to the discovery of the Yellow Fellow vaccine. The main medical research centre at the University of Ghana was named after him to honour his memory and impactful work.

Skipper Suleman Tetteh a flyweight and 2012 Olympian, featherweight Samuel Takyi, and light heavyweight Shakul Samir have promised to return home with medals. 

According to Coach Asare, there are two more boxers hoping to make it to the games when the final rankings are released. Female boxer, Dr Ornella Sathoud, a specialist in analytical chemistry hoping to be Ghana’s first female boxer to make it to the Olympics and Jessie Lartey who won Ghana’s only bronze medal at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

From Sammy Heywood Okine