The Ghana National Boxing Team has been the steppingstone for many professional boxers in Ghana and given room to others to improve on their training day in and out.
Jessie Lartey, a member of the Ghana National Boxing team in an exclusive interview with BoxinGhana.com reporter Nana Kojo stated few reasons why he isn’t going professional anytime soon. In the interview, Jessie stated,
“Starting boxing at the age of five years, it was always a child’s play not knowing the effect and seriousness it needed until I grew older and joined the Ghana National Boxing Team, The Black Bombers. My father is a boxing coach and he always had me around him. I started developing the love for the game with his commendation unlike other fathers who do not allow their children to follow their footstep.”
In the heat of events, Jessie Lartey missed out on qualifying for the Tokyo Olympics games after placing fourth in the qualifiers.
Jessie who started his amateur boxing career as a Black Bomber mounted the ring on the 9th of October 2010 when he faced Sean McGoldrick at the Talkatora Indoor Stadium, New Delhi in India but lost. He went on to win his next two bouts at the Scottish Exhibition Centre in Glasgow.
Jessie in his latest amateur bouts represented Ghana in the African qualifiers held in Dakar leading to the Tokyo Olympics where he featured in five bouts. He defeated Mohamed Aboubacar on the 22nd of October 2020, went on to record his second win against Chemsiddine Kramou on the 24th of October 2020 and Mokhachane Moshoeshoe on the 25th of October 2020 all at the Dakar Arena, Dakar, Senegal.
With the vibrant boxer running out of steam, it was difficult to rumble it out against Stephen Zimba and Shadiri Bwogi which led to Jessie Lartey missing out on the Olympic games.
As the interview proceeded, Jessie exclaimed, “I had to adjust to fight in a weight I did not belong when I went to the Commonwealth Games in Australia, I knew it was going to be very difficult but so far as I was there, I had to make a mark and I placed fourth after the end of proceedings.
The team and I have come a long way and it gets to sometimes where we need the support of both government and individuals to get things done, our poor welfare and inadequate support during and after events really makes us lose focus sometimes, but thanks to our coaches who have always stood by us and motivated us.
We need to get into tournaments because that can help us win points which can help us when it comes to the qualifications. I place 4th on the African ranking, and I would want to change that very soon.”
With sadness in his voice, Jessie said, “it saddens me that I and the other bombers could not join our teammates in this historic event to Tokyo but it is not far lost. Ghana is yet to win a Gold medal and I know our team will pave the way. I will always continue to train hard and ensure I stay sharp and fit. My motivation in life has been to be remembered as one of the history makers and with that stamped in my mind, I still keep my promise to myself that I will surely win an Olympic medal for Ghana before I even think of going pro.”
Written by: Nana Kojo Sakyie Eduafo-Quansah
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