Isaac Dogboe remains uncertain over his immediate future despite winning a WBC title eliminator with his win over Joet Gonzalez last month.
The former WBO 122-pound champion could fight for a vacant WBO featherweight title if nemesis Emmanuel Navarrete moves up to challenge Shakur Stevenson for the WBC and WBO super featherweight belts. However, Stevenson is set to face Robson Conceição on September 23 and Navarrete just fought last weekend, defending his WBO strap with a fourth-round TKO over Eduardo Baez.
Hence, a fight between Stevenson and Navarrete wouldn’t occur until 2023. Meanwhile, undefeated WBC World Featherweight Champion Rey Vargas is rumored to be fighting WBA champion and boxing legend Leo Santa Cruz in a unification bout next.
Where does this leave Dogboe? The Ghanaian pugilist met with the press at the African Regent Hotel in Accra on Friday to discuss a number of topics as he looks to become a two-division champion.
“I don’t want to focus on facing just Rey Vargas next because as it stands now it is not even concrete who I’m facing next,” Dogboe told BoxingAfrica.com.
“As you all know me, I will be ready to face any opponent put before me because that is what champions do. I am ready to become a world champion again and that means facing the best fighters.
“We have to see what happens but my handlers know best and we will decide which option is best for me at the end of the day.”
Dogboe has been vacationing in Ghana since earning a split decision win over Gonzalez on July 23 in the US. The win makes it four consecutive victories for him since successive losses to Navarrete which caused him to lose his title.
Since his arrival in Ghana, the Dogboe has opted to pay his percentage purse to the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) as mandated by the outfit.
The controversial percentage purse is being demanded by the GBA for Ghanaian boxers who fight abroad, a decision the former IBF lightweight titlist Richard Commey and Emmanuel ‘Gameboy’ Tagoe have opted to dismiss.
Dogboe said he wants to help give Ghanaian boxers and called on his other professionals to do same.
“I have realized that Ghanaian boxers find it difficult to rise to the top and this is worrying to some of us because some of these fighters are prospects,” said Dogboe.
“It is my belief that this amount would help cater for some of their needs to prepare them for the biggest stage at the top.”
In response, Abraham Kotei Neequaye, president of the GBA, praised Dogboe as a champion with a conscience who thinks about the future of Ghana boxing.
Neequaye explained to BoxingAfrica.com that the gesture by Dogboe would go a long way to touch the lives of struggling fighters.
“I have to reiterate that if a boxer who started his career in the UK has decided to give back to society, then what do we have to tell the fighters that started from Ghana.
“It is very sad that some of our elite fighters fail to understand the importance of this money but we have to chase them for it,” said Neequaye.
