Experienced boxing administrator, Alhaji Murtala Toffic has praised the Ghana Boxing Authority(GBA)’s decision to lift the two-year ban imposed on former world champion, Richard Commey.
According the GBA member, the decision to lit the ban was in the best interest of the sport and the boxer.
Alhaji Toffic, a former Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ambition Boxing Promotions, said with Commey serving part of the ban, the GBA believes the fighter has learnt some lessons and signals also went to other stakeholders over the GBA’s ability to crack the whip when the need be.
Commey was handed the ban after he ‘bad-mouthed’ the Authority in an interview he granted a radio station in the USA.
But following pleas from the boxer, management and some eminent people in society, the GBA lifted the ban.
With the ban on, Commey could still fight in other jurisdiction with a license from a different sanctioning body but without privileges accorded a boxer fighting outside including the use of the flag of Ghana and the singing of the national anthem.
Speaking in an interview with the Times in Accra on Monday, Alhaji Toffic, who doubles as Chairman of Promotions for the GBA stated that the past administration under Mr. Peter Zwennes, of which he (Alhaji Toffic) also worked as a member, did not err in handing out the sanction.
“The GBA is like a father to all boxers, coaches, managers and other stakeholders. The situation is just like parent and children. When the child goes wrong, it will be the responsibility of the parent to correct or punish the child.
“That was exactly what happened. The reason for that is to correct the boxer. We believe he has realise he went too far so he apologized and pledged to be of good behaviour.”, The veteran promoter elaborated.
The development, according to Alhaji Toffic, should give the US based boxer the peace of mind to train as he aims at a return to the top echelons of the division where Teofimo Lopez rules as the world champion.
“I believe Commey is our best hope of winning a world title soon. Looking around, he is the closest Ghanaian boxer closer to a world title, therefore, our activities must be geared towards the world title agenda. He will bounce back soon,” Alhaji Toffic stated.
He added that the decision was one of many taken by the current administration headed by Mr. Abraham Kotey Neequaye to make boxing the biggest sporting event in Ghana.
Last week, the GBA served notice to all GBA Licensees including boxers, managers and promoters to deposit a copy of a properly signed promotional and managerial contracts at the GBA office.
That, Alhaji Toffic stated, was to make the GBA aware of the dealings between a boxer and a coach or manager.
That letter signed by the GBA president told the stakeholders they will be doing so at their own risk if they fail to comply with the order.
He also commended promoters for the good work done so far, believing that very soon Ghana will produce a new world champion.
“Just to mention a few of them, I think the likes of Box Office Sports, Cabic Promotions and Ace Power Promotion have done very well by staging these wonderful promotions.”