Former IBF World Welterweight Champion Joshua Clottey is refuting news that he was arrested by James Town Police in Accra for assaulting a footballer.
Initial reports stated that Clottey, 41, had been into hiding since last week after assaulting 21-year-old footballer Sylvester Ayitey-Adjin at Bukom Park in Accra.
Reacting to these claims, Clottey told host DJ Nyaami on SVTV Africa that he was never arrested as was reported but that he went to the police station to report his case the same day Ayitey-Adjin went to report his own.
“The time he went to the police station, I also went there to report my case,” Clottey explained. “The next day I went to see CID at the Station to write my statement so I was never arrested. He, on the other hand, went on Facebook to disgrace me without telling Ghanaians the whole truth just to disgrace me because I’m a boxer. The police never arrested me, he just framed it up.”
Clottey says he is still upset at the turn of the events.
“I would like to forgive him but the bitterness will still be in me,” the former world champion said. “But I want him to come out and tell the media, the police and my family that he punched me first and not vice-versa as has been reported.”
Clottey says that if Ayitey-Adjin fails to issue a public apology, he will shower him with curses for ruining his reputation.
Clottey fought as recently as last March, when he stopped Mfaume Mfaume in six rounds at Bukom Boxing Arena. It was his first fight since December 2015. Despite the win, Clottey’s comeback was short-lived. He announced his retirement, saying he didn’t want to continue to go through with the rigor of hard training.
