Ghana’s former professional boxer, Ike Quatey
• Ike Quartey has bemoaned government’s lack of support for amateur boxing
• He has charged the government to invest in the sport
• He added Ghana is capable of producing world champions in boxing
A former Ghanaian professional boxer, Ike Quartey, has admonished government to invest in amateur boxing in order to make the country the home of world boxing champions.
He noted that the government’s support in nurturing the talents of young boxers is “very little for now” and has called for a lasting solution to this challenge in order to increase Ghana’s chances in world championships.
He added that the boxing federation is doing its best to support young talents but due to the lack of financial support, not much has been achieved over the years.
In an interview with Times Sports, he intimated that Ghana can only boast of future world champions if the government turns its attention to the sport by investing in it.
“If we nurture and train boxers at the amateur level, the next Azumah Nelson, D.K Poison, Nana Yaw Konadu and myself will emerge. The support from government is very little now.
“We have the likes of Ambassador Ray Quarcoo, Mr Amarkai Amarteifio, Ataa Eddie Pappoe and others who are ready to revive amateur boxing when they are called upon. They groomed amateur boxers who turned professionals and went on to become world champions. This is a clear testimony that we have the personnel but what is missing is the financial assistance,” said Ike Quartey.
Ghana at the recent Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games, won a bronze medal after a 29-year drought. Samuel Takyi from the Black Bombers sailed through to the quarter-finals.
He was rewarded with a car and cash prize of $10,000 plus a $20,000 fund to support his boxing career by President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo.