Ghana has often been described as a football nation, but boxing has equally been up there with the country’s most rewarding sports.
Many world champions have emerged from Ghana and it’s fair to say the West African nation has produced some of the best boxers in history.
Below, we take a look at seven boxers who paved the way for others and put Ghana in the limelight through their exploits:
Azumah Nelson
Arguably Ghana’s greatest ever sportsman, Azuma Nelson’s boxing career lasted from 1979 to 2008.
He won several medals and titles throughout his amateur and professional career, including gold medals at the 1978 All-Africa Games and the 1978 Commonwealth Games.
He also finished his career as a two-weight world champion, holding the featherweight title and WBC super-featherweight title. Nelson’s career transcended sports, as he’s a role model to many across the continent.
David Kotey
David Kotey, popularly known as DK Poison, was the first Ghanaian to win a world title. He made his professional debut in 1966 and a decade later won the featherweight title.
During his career, he fought 60 times, winning an astonishing 49 times, drawing thrice and losing eight.
Ike Quartey
Ike Quartey comes from a family of boxers, with his senior brother Isaac Quartey earlier winning a silver medal in the 1960 Olympics.
Nicknamed the Bazooka, Ike had an impressive amateur record of just four losses in 50 fights. During his professional career, he became one of the longest-reigning champions after holding the WBA welterweight title from 1994 to 1998.
In his illustrious career, he faced the likes of Oscar De La Hoya, Fernando Vargas, Ronald Wright and Verno Phillips.
Roy Ankrah
Roy Ankrah was one of the trailblazers of boxing in Ghana. He was a household name in the 1950s, having held the Commonwealth featherweight title.
He was also a national champion and even served in the army at some point. Ankrah spent time in India during World War II, where he competed in several fights.
In a career that lasted over a decade, Ankrah was involved in 44 fights, won 34 and lost seven times.
Joshua Clottey
Joshua Clottey is one of Ghana’s modern boxing greats. The 44-year-old flew the flag of Ghana high in several fights during his prime.
Clottey won each of his first 20 fights as a professional boxer. His notable bouts include contests against Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao. Also, Clottey lost just five times in his career, with none being by knockout.
Joseph Agbeko
Joseph Agbeko is also a two-time world champion. He held the IBF bantamweight title twice between 2007 and 2011.
He was also the Commonwealth bantamweight champion from 2004 to 2006 and the IBO bantamweight champion in 2013.
For his exploits, he was enstooled as a warrior chief in the Volta Region in 2010.
Pulse
