|
World Boxing Federation
President Howard Goldberg
returned last week to his Cape
Town headquarters from what was
doubtlessly an adventure in
Accra – and definitely a success
of the long-term plan to conquer
Ghana, one of Africa’s countries
with the longest boxing
tradition, for the WBF.
It already started on June 16,
2012 when at a packed Lebanon
House in Ghana’s capital, huge
underdog Korley Collison won a
majority 12-round decision (the
WBF approves regional and
International title bouts over
12, instead of 10, rounds, if
all involved parties apply for
it) over compatriot and former
African champion Abdul Malik
Jabir for the vacant WBF
All-Africa lightweight title.
While the scoring was
controversial (118:105, 112:110
and 112:112), the Chairman of
the Ghana Boxing Authority Samir
Captan, who supervised the bout
on behalf of the WBF, reported
that the fans rocked the roof in
excitement and that the better
man got the decision. A rematch,
however, could well be on the
cards sooner rather than later.
In the follow up, WBF President
Goldberg went to Ghana
personally, not only to meet
with GBA Chairman Captan to
discuss the implications of the
Collison vs Jabir contest, but
also to attend a show at the
same venue on September 29, 2012
and supervise the vacant WBF
All-Africa Super Bantamweight
championship between hot
unbeaten prospect Joshua Barnor
and Asamoah Wilson.
Unfortunately, Wilson pulled out
at the very last minute and
Barnor was left to go over old
ground against equally late
substitute and previous opponent
Alfred Quaye, stopping him
again, this time in three
rounds, to move to 8-0 (7 KO’s).
Since Quaye obviously did not
qualify for a title bout of any
sorts, the WBF did not approve
it as such, but the WBF
Championship Committee
nevertheless decided to still
award the title to Joshua Barnor,
who consequently left the ring
plus the blue WBF belt.
Howard Goldberg, tired but happy
with the results of his journey,
reported:
“I have no doubt that
Ghana can be huge for the World
Boxing Federation. During my
short time in Accra, several
promoters showed huge interest
in staging WBF fights in their
country and in forging a strong
relationship with the most
fast-growing organization in the
world.” |
