The inaugural Ghana Professional Boxing League event so many fans were looking forward to isn’t quite what anyone expected. In fact, it’s worse than what even the skeptics feared.
On Friday afternoon, Isaac Sackey of the Attoh Quarshie Boxing Club and Akotoku Boxing Academy’s Isaac Taylor both made weight ahead of the league’s main event at Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra tomorrow night.
The problem? Sackey (25-2-1, 20 KOs) is a former WBO Africa super bantamweight champion. Taylor? He’ll be making his pro debut.
Such a fight shouldn’t have been sanctioned given the mind-boggling gap in experience between the two fighters.
However, this may be the norm. The purpose of the league is to reward the nation’s best boxing clubs and fighters. It is being promoted by IMAX Media Group in collaboration with the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA). Last December, the two parties announced a five-year sponsorship deal worth $1.7 million provided by IMAX Media Group to the GBA in order to launch and maintain the league.
However, such mismatches will not only hurt the sport in Ghana, it could seriously wreck the health of certain participants who may be completely unprepared for the level of opposition they face.
Sadly, this rushed event calls into question the motivations of a GBA which is supposed to protect athletes.
Nevertheless, the show must go on. Sackey weighed 124.4 pounds while Taylor tipped the scales at 120.6 pounds.
“Where I am in my career now, I don’t think Taylor has what it takes to fight me,” Sackey told BoxingAfrica.com in a statement that one hopefully suggests he’ll take it easy on his lightly-regarded foe.
“It is a victory for me and I want everyone to come and watch me give off a good show.”
Taylor was just as confident, telling BoxingAfrica.com that he plans on letting his fists do the talking.
“I won’t engage him in bragging. I will do my talking in the ring on Saturday,” Taylor declared. “I have waited for a long time for this fight and this is the time to prove myself to everyone.”
The Ghana Boxing Professional League, and the GBA, are facing further turmoil that extends beyond the action in the ring. The league’s announcement has led to friction between prominent managers and promoters of the sport who are opposed to the mode of organization.
In a recent press conference, the Ghana Boxing Promoters Association boycotted the league and complained about the lack of transparency on the financial terms of the contract to all stakeholders.
This has led to most of the better fighters in the nation abstaining from the league. Rather than attempting to sort out this issue, the GBA has forged ahead with their plans, leading us to the one-sided bout atop their maiden show.
On the undercard, Michael Osunla (Black Panther Club) will face Emmanuel Dekeh (Fit Square Gym) in a light heavyweight bout, and Adam Hab Deen Salanon of Panix Boxing Club takes on Palm Springs Club’s Joseph Allotey in a flyweight contest.
In a super lightweight contest, Stephen Addy of The Gym will face John Quaye of Sea View Boxing Club while Patrick Cudjoe of Wisdom Club is set to engage Sonia Club’s Azumah Mohammed.
