Two-time former world bantamweight champion Joseph “King Kong” Agbeko is set to launch The New Generation Mentorship Program to tap and develop young fighters through the Joseph Agbeko Foundation in collaboration with Aborigines Promotions.
The boxer sees it as his contribution to shaping the face of Ghana’s juvenile and amateur boxing.
As passionate and determined as he is to win another world title for Ghana, at least for the last time in his career as a boxer, Agbeko is also determined to give back to the sport whilst campaigning towards achieving his final goal as a pro.
The New Generation Mentorship Program is to guide and promote juvenile and amateur boxers from the grassroots into becoming Olympic gold medalists and world champions for Ghana.
“Growing through the juvenile and amateur stages to becoming a world champion, I realised most of my mates whom I even considered better than I was did not have the chance to become great professional boxers like myself,” Agbeko bemoaned.
“Instead, some travelled abroad with their career and ended up working and lost their dream of becoming world champions.
“One of my closest friends who happened to be a very good boxer, Nii Odartey aka Dodo Lamptey for instance ended up as a land guard and lost his life in the process, may his soul continue to rest in peace.
“I believe all these was a result of lack of proper guidance and management, that’s why my unending gratitude goes to the Gbese Matse, Nii Ayi Bontey formerly known as Thomas Okine of Accra Heart of Oak. God saved me through him,” Agbeko recounted.
It is for this reason the programme will recruit young boxers, harness their talents under the strictest disciplinary training routines and prepare them to be the best they can be as amateur and later pro boxers.
This will be done by scouting young talented boxers, take them off the streets, hold regular boxing events, enhance their technique and give them exposure.
–ghanaguardian.com
