Major and Latest Boxing news in Ghana

It’s been five months since contact sports were temporarily banned by the government to prevent the spread of COVID-19 but the decision continues to affect so many disciplines.

Boxing is one of them. For the past months, boxers and trainers continue to live without bouts due to the inability of shows.

Many professional fighters in the country have been left without a job due to their current predicament. It will definitely get worse if nothing is done about it.

Despite not fighting, they continue to train under bizarre circumstances. In a country which has countable boxing shows in a year, the ban is definitely not the best way to go.

I respect the President’s decision to protect lives by instituting strong measures to curb the COVID-19 pandemic but how do fighters earn a living as well as develop their craft if not allowed to fight?

Last month, the government failed to ease restrictions on boxing after giving non-contact sporting disciplines the chance to return. Before the news, I was expecting authorities to allow the sport to come back but it didn’t happen and I was left disappointed.

I was disappointed because boxing has struggled in terms of monetary support from the government over the years and the few promoters in the sport are being denied access through COVID-19 restrictions.

Why can’t we have a well-structured safety guideline to allow the sport return like its being done in other jurisdictions? I know so many things come to mind from financial obligations but promoters have expressed readiness to meet all of them.

They are looking at partnering television outfits to help in telecasting bouts to an audience that will not be at venues due to restrictions. I think it will work.

Momentum lost

It is a pity to note that there has been only two promotions in Ghana this year. The first was in January when Wasiru “Gyatabi” Mohammed destroyed John Amuzu on the Bukom Fist of Fury bill.

In March, just before the COVID-19 lockdown, Box Office Sports Promotions held the second bill and that has been it for boxers in the country.

Promoters who emerged in the last three years are beginning to lose interest in the venture and are shying away from investing in the sport.

For instance, the likes of Rising Star Africa Promotions, Cabic Promotions and Dons Promotions have been out of the sport for sometime now. It is evident there are so many factors preventing them from investing into promotions.

I feel the government must not help in creating a situation which would destroy our boxers that are already struggling to be active. It is good to be protective of your citizens but your decisions must not affect their talents and livelihoods.

The GBA has been effective in engaging government through the National Sports Authority (NSA) and Ministry of Youth and Sports to have their situation addressed but to no avail.

I know they are putting together a safety guideline to send a petition to the government on how they want to host shows in the midst of COVID-19. This I think government must consider and ensure they observe all the protocols to stage a bout.

If the President can allow other sectors in the country to commence operations by observing protocols then boxing shouldn’t be an exception. It will be prudent to allow them to function for the GBA to fail rather than preventing already deteriorating sport to sink.

Casualties

Aside local fighters facing challenges with the current situation, so many other prospects could lose their ratings in the new rankings out of inactivity.

This continues to be my headache, especially when other fighters in the division are fighting in their jurisdictions. That is why boxing must return on time to give fighters such as Emmanuel Tagoe, Wasiru and Jessie Manyo Plange who are highly rated the chance to be competitive.

Tagoe should be in the US challenging for a world title slot but COVID-19 restrictions have prevented him from travelling due to border closure.

Wasiru and Plange on the other hand are yet to fight in five months since last winning on January 31 due to ban on bouts in the country. These are some of the reasons why the sport must return.

Richard Commey, who lost his IBF lightweight title last December, has been unable to move back to his New York base due to the closure of borders in Ghana. All these must be checked to allow them become competitive.

Otherwise, the continuous ban on fighting could hinder their progress which automatically affects their chances at the world stage as well.

I am appealing to the authorities to listen to the humble plea of the GBA to allow emerging fighters and title hopefuls to continue building their careers by observing all the protocols.

The interest of our fighters must remain paramount and I continue to imagine how most of these boxers have survived within the past months without bouts.

It is not an easy task but throughout this toil, they continue to train with the hope of making a return before the close of the year.  I pray most of them are able to make their respective weights when boxing resumes.

Let me bow out with the hope that the pleas of the GBA would be heard at the end. I trust the government to consider it in the interest of all boxing stakeholders.