George “Red Tiger” Ashie will return to the ring on April 27 versus South Africa’s Michael Mokoena for the vacant interim WBO lightweight belt in Accra’s Bukom Boxing Arena.
The card was announced on Tuesday by promoted by Box Office Promotions, according to ghanacrusader.com. Ashie-Mokoena will headline the event.
Ashie has been largely inactive since losing a disputed decision to Emmanuel Tagoe in 2012. He’s fought only four times since. Last October, Ashie registered a second-round KO over Max Moshi. Mokoena (12-1, 7 KOs) fought earlier this month, barely scraping by Marcus Lebogo, winning a ten-round majority decision in Praetoria, South Africa.
The unheralded Lebogo was only 8-2 entering that bout. Mokoena will face a far stiffer challenger in the rugged Ashie.
“My aim is to become a world champion,” Ashie said during Tuesday’s press conference at The Gym in Accra. “I’m starting the journey with the WBO Africa lightweight belt, and I’m sure I will achieve that feat.”
“Box Office CEO Alex Ntiamoah promised to reshape my career and I thank him for that,” he continued. “On April 27, Michael Mokoena will go down. The title is staying here in Ghana.”
“My aim is to produce a world champion,” Ntiamoah added. “George Ashie is a good fighter and I know what he can do.
“Ashie will be relaunching his career on April 27 and I’m calling on all boxing-loving fans to fill the Bukom Boxing Arena on the said date.”
A win could set up a rematch with Tagoe. “Game Boy” has been the busier of the two, but has yet to notch a defining win since that 2012 encounter.
In undercard action, Isaac Sackey will take on Raymond Commey for the vacant WBO Africa super bantamweight belt.
Ayitey Powers will battle Enoch Quaye in a cruiserweight contest.
Obodai Sai is slated to be on the card against an opponent to be determined.
Prince Octopus Dzanie rounds out the show – his opponent remains unknown as well.
