Three Ghanaian boxers have qualified for the upcoming Olympic Games which comes off in Tokyo, Japan from July 28 to August 8 2021 and it is very important to assess their chances at the biggest sports festival in the world.
Boxing has been Ghana’s best discipline at the Games having won silver in Rome in 1960 by light welterweight Clement Ike Quartey, bronze in 1964 in Tokyo by Eddy Blay, another light welterweight and another bronze in 1972 in Munich by middleweight Prince Amartey.
Black Bombers, as the Ghana Boxing team are known have done well over the years in other Olympic Games, but have not won any medal since,
Jessie Manyo Plange reached the Quarter Finals in 2008 in Beijing, while Duke Micah said he could have won a medal in 2012 if he was well psyched and motivated.
Isaac Dogbe who was also representing in 2012 became a WBO Super Bantamweight champion of the world.
Coach Dr. Ofori Asare who has experienced four Olympic Games feels history can repeat itself in Tokyo, as his boys are really determined to shine.
Sulemanu Tetteh, the captain of the team was first to qualify in Dakar, Senegal during the 2019 African Qualifiers. He had it very tough at the qualifiers but proved that he is one of the best and fastest boxers in Africa.
He placed third to qualify for the Olympic Games and believes luck can smile on him through the balloting to reach the medal zone in the Flyweight Division.
Featherweight, Samuel Takyi is a debutant, who went to his premier international tournament in Senegal and beat the best on the continent to make it.
Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Boxer of the year 2019, cruiserweight Shakur Samir qualified via the balloting as the fourth best in Africa and one of the best 10 in the world,
He said it is time to do what his brothers could not achieve in 2020 (2021), as he is very determined to bring back home glory and a medal like he did at the African Games in 2019.
The Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) President Mr. George Lamptey said the team wants to feel the love of Ghanaians and appealed to corporate Ghana to show affection to the national boxers.
The Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) set the pace by paying for the participation at the African Qualifiers and has never looked back.
Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah, the GOC President has also appealed to individuals and companies to support the Black Bombers to realize their dreams.
Mr. Michael Aggrey, Chef de Mission for Tokyo said boxing has always been the hope of Ghana and still remains the hope of the nation.
The success story of the current Black Bombers 2020 can not be complete without mentioning Alhaji Inusah, Geodrill, Bukom Boxing Ltd, Hon. Alfred Okoe Vanderpuije, MP for Ablekuma South, the Trust Sports Emporium, Mr. Okyere Baffour Agyei, the physiotherapist, Golden Beach Hotel and the media.
By Sammy Heywood Okine