World Ranked Lightweight Emmanuel Tagoe, (31-1, 15 KOs), of Accra, Ghana is currently training at the renowned Sweatbox Boxing Gym in Davie, FL under the guidance of trainer Javiel Centeno preparing for his second fight in the United States.
Ranked #3 by the World Boxing Organization (WBO), Tagoe is promoted by DiBella Entertainment and managed by Peter Kahn’s Fight Game Advisors.
Stated Tagoe from his training camp, “I am ready to fight any of the top lightweights; however, Ryan Garcia and Devin Haney don’t want to fight me. Haney offered the fight to me on three weeks’ notice last year. Felix Verdejo said he wanted to fight me and then backed out. Ryan Garcia would rather fight the easier fight with Luke Campbell. The WBO should honor its decision to fulfill the eliminator it ordered for me and Ryan Garcia. I should be able to fight the next available contender. I am sure if I said no to Ryan Garcia, the WBO would have gone to the next available contender.”
“I am training hard and already sparring in Florida. I am ready to fight right now.”
Tagoe was scheduled to fight Rey Perez on March 19, 2020 in Atlantic City, NJ as the main event on a DiBella Entertainment ‘Broadway Boxing’ event that was canceled by the State of New Jersey due to COVID-19 just days before the event.
“Emmanuel has been in training camp for the past month in South Florida. He’s already in fight shape and ready to take on any of the lightweight champions. He’s the highest available rated contender in the WBO as well as being ranked in the top 10 in the IBF and WBC,” said Peter Kahn. “He has been sparring George Kambosos Jr. in advance of his Lightweight World Title Eliminator against Lee Selby on October 31 and will be sparring another world title challenger shortly.”
Continued Kahn, “I spoke with WBO President Paco Valcarcel recently and made it very clear that Emmanuel is ready to fight anyone in their rankings to earn his world title shot. The WBO previously ordered him to fight Ryan Garcia for the #1 mandatory position which we gladly accepted. However, Garcia opted to not take that fight, instead selecting the easier fight against Luke Campbell. Then Felix Verdejo wanted to fight for the #1 mandatory position until he learned Emmanuel was in the United States training and then quickly changed his mind.”
“Devin Haney’s Team also expressed interest in facing Emmanuel last year but swiftly backed away choosing a less risky fight.”
With a record of 31-1 with 15 knockouts, Tagoe is unbeaten, remarkably since losing his pro debut sixteen years ago, at the age of 15. He has fought once previously in the United States, a ninth-round stoppage of Gerardo Robles on August 9, 2013 in Cabazon, CA in a bout broadcast on ESPN.
Tagoe is formerly the holder of the WBO Global Lightweight Title. Previous titles also include the IBO Lightweight World Champion, WBA International Lightweight Champion, IBF Inter-Continental Super Featherweight Champion and the WBO African Lightweight Champion.
–boxingscene.com
