Rasheed ‘Believer’ Williams Identifies Problems Facing Ghana Amature Boxing
Abdul Rasheed Williams aka Coach Believer has acknowledged some of the major problems affecting Ghana Amature Boxing as lack of exposure for the boxers, funding and lack of good or transparent leadership.
Speaking to Yours Truly on The Big Fight Night on Omashi TV, he said there are many talented boxers in the communities, but talent alone can not make a champion or international Games medalist unless he or she is tried and tested.
The veteran observed that Ghanaian boxers train and fight with the same opponents or gym mates so they do not learn any thing new than recycling the same old things that they know.
He noted that if the young boxers are taken to train in Eastern Europe or Asia, they will polish up.
Coach Williams, Manager of the Believers Gym who is also the trainer of the Black Hitters, the national boxing female team said they did not do well or could not reach the medal zone at the 13th African Games because they are novices in the sport as they did not start learning at a tender age.
He said Ghana Boxing in general is down due to arranged bouts and lack of investment plus the huge charges at the Bukom Boxing Arena.
Abdul Rasheed Williams hinted that his grand daddy was the late Supriser Sowah who coached Roy Ankrah, Attuquaye Clottey the coach of D.K. Poison, Prof. Azumah Nelson and Sam Ago Kotey, among others.
Coming from a boxing home, he took to his Grand Pa’s foot steps and decided to coach boxers which he has been doing for over 35 years.
“The genes is in my blood and I love to share knowledge so I train many boxers including James Tony, Joshua ‘Bukom Tsatsu’ Okine, Scorpion Bawa, Bukom Fire, Bukom Flash and others” he expressed.
He also called for transparency and unity in the ranks of the Ghana Boxing Federation executives.
“Leadership is another issue that is worrying the amateur ranks and so we need selfless and good leaders who are ready to spend and win” he added.
“Boxing has changed the lives of so many people so we should hold the sport well, we need to do something about promotions which is becoming very expensive” he expressed
He hoped to contest in the next GBF elections to be in the managing executive.
He named Floyd Mayweather, Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey and Joshua Clottey as his favourite boxers, because they love training.
By Sammy Heywood Okine