Bukom: Is the famous citadel of Ghana boxing dying?

In Ghana, Bukom is synonymous with boxing. The community has a long-standing boxing tradition, and boxing has become deeply ingrained in the local culture. Many boxing gyms and training facilities in the country are located in Bukom, attracting aspiring boxers from all over the country who go there to train and develop their skills.

Boxers in Bukom Pulse Ghana

Boxing is seen as a means of escape from poverty and a way to achieve success and recognition. Boys in Bukom often start boxing at an early age, with the support and encouragement of their families and the community.

Bukom has been the birthplace of many boxing legends, including Azumah Nelson and Ike Quartey, who have brought fame and glory to the neighbourhood and Ghana as a whole.

But, it was David Kotei, popularly known as Poison, who put Bukom and Ghana on the international stage as the home of boxing in Africa by winning the first world title for the country in 1975.

The victory of Kotei, against Ruben Olivares, in the featherweight division, on that fateful day of September 20 in California in the United States of America sparked world-title-winning culture in Bukom till date.

Boxers in Bukom Pulse Ghana

Arguably the greatest African boxer, Azumah Nelson took after D.K Poison when he defeated Wilfredo Gomez in round 11 to win the WBC World featherweight belt in 1984.

This was followed by further successes for Ike ‘Bazooka’ Quartey, Nana Yaw Konadu, and Alfred ‘Cobra’ Kotey in the late ’80s and 90’s.

Joseph Agbeko stopped Luiz Alberto Perez in round seven to win Ghana’s sixth World title as he claimed the IBF World bantamweight belt in 2007. A year later, Joshua Clottey stopped America’s Zab Judah in a technical decision to win the vacant IBF World welterweight belt.

However, Ghana’s penchant for world titles in boxing has been bleak somewhat in recent years. Though Isaac Dogboe added his name to this history by winning Ghana’s eighth world title after beating Jessie Magdaleno in round 11 to win the WBO World Super bantamweight belt on April 28th, 2018; only Richard Commey has been able to add to this illustrious list with his win against Isa Chaniev in 2019.

The past four years have been fraught with mostly humiliating losses for Ghanaian boxers on the international stage. Some pundits are even doubting if the country will be able to produce another world champion in the next decade.

Boxers in Bukom Pulse Ghana

Mubarak Yusif Nanor, Secretary of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) and a matchmaker, admits there are challenges, however, he posits the future is not as bleak as some people are predicting.

He told Pulse Sports: “I think the current state of boxing in Ghana is 50 per cent right because some things have changed as compared to the past. Some of the help and push we need as promoters and boxers we are not getting and this has hindered most of our boxers. Formerly most boxers get the opportunity to fight for commonwealth titles, however, nowadays they don’t get promotions for such fights.

“One of the problems facing Ghana boxing in its quest to produce modern world champions is the fact that most of the fights our boxers get are hasty. Hasty in the sense that they are just given like a month's notice to prepare and this affects their performances.

“Azumah Nelson and some of the old guards who won titles for Ghana had several months to prepare for their fights and this was reflected in their performances. Our boxers need to be given enough time for training camp before they get international bouts, this will help in restoring Ghana boxing to its rightful place.”

Boxers in Bukom Pulse Ghana

The Akotoku Boxing Academy in Bukom is regarded as the home of ‘Ghana’s World Champions’. For nearly 50 years, Akotoku has produced some of the world’s greatest boxers. Founded in 1974 by the late Francis Attuquaye Clottey, Akotoku is where legends such as Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, David “Poison” Kotey, and Alfred Kotey honed their craft.

Elvis Robertson, the current coach at the famous gym believes networking is one of the main problems hindering Ghana’s production of world champions recently.

He said: “I think networking was one of the main catalysts for Ghana to able to produce a lot of world champions in the past. In every aspect of life, one needs connections to reach a certain level. The likes of Azumah Nelson and Joshua Clottey had the opportunity to fight world titles through networking.”

Robertson also posits that discipline is an issue in the recent decline of international champions in the country. “The boxer must be disciplined and determined and without these qualities, I don’t think the boxer can be a world champion. All the former boxers confess how disciplined they were and their dedication to the game.”

“Though we haven’t produced a world title holder in the past few years, we have had Ghanaian boxers who have contended for it. We have Dogboe, Raphael Mensah, Patrick Allotey, and the likes who have all fought world title fights and lost.”

Despite the huge success of pugilists from Ghana annexing world titles, the nation also has a rich history of winning medals in boxing at the Olympic and Commonwealth Games. However, there has been a decline in glory at the Games in the past few decades.

Boxers in Bukom Pulse Ghana

Bukom native Samuel Takyi made history at the 2020 Olympic Games in Tokyo by being the first Ghanaian to pick a medal in boxing since 1992. His bronze medal win gave Ghana its first podium finish in 29 years.

Young super lightweight fighter Joseph Commey followed Takyi’s success at the Olympics by winning Ghana’s first medal at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham in the United Kingdom.

Commey argues that the boxing talent in Bukom is not declining or dying. He told Pulse Sports: “I think Ghana boxing is in good hands. Though there aren’t enough monetary gains on the local front, as a boxer you have to motivate yourself to succeed. Formerly Ghana used to win a lot of international titles because of discipline and dedication.”

“So as a boxer, you have to be always be prepared so that when a fight comes on you will be ready. We have won many IBF titles and less from the WBO and I am optimistic that with the right support, I and the other upcoming boxers can bring Ghana glory.

“I believe there is a future for Ghana boxing because there are a lot of boxers in the amateur division that can win titles for the nation if they turn professionals. Some young boxers like Abraham Mensah and Abdul Wahid who won medals for Ghana at the Commonwealth Games are prospects to look out for in the future,” he added.

Samuel Takyi receives his bronze medal Pulse Ghana

Ebenezer Adjei, who is popularly known as Coach Killa, of the famous Black Panthers Boxing Gym in Bukom, decried the decline in Ghana’s production of world champions. Having coached accomplished boxers like Ayittey Powers, Emmanuel ‘Gameboy’ Tagoe, Osmanu Akaba, Osmanu Yahaya, and the like, Adjei said things in Bukom are not like they used to be.

“Admittedly boxing in Ghana is not like how it used to be. Promoters and boxers now are protecting themselves by avoiding bouts among their peers. It has become more of a business model because managers deliberately select fights that will boost their boxer’s record because they have invested heavily so they look forward to getting returns.

“Also, we the coaches use our resources to get these young boxers off the street without any help.

“Ghana’s success in boxing in the nineties was mainly due to discipline. The old boxers were also determined to achieve success therefore they always took their training seriously. But now most of the young boxers are talented nonetheless, but they lack discipline. They are distracted by so many social vices and this has made many promoters and businessmen shun away from investing.”

In recent times, there has been this strong perception among Ghanaian boxing fans and pundits over the declining quality of boxers in the country. Ghana might still be a hub for talented boxers but without the needed right mix of support and discipline, very few can realise their full potential, as evidenced by the country’s lack of world champions in recent years.