Sports News of Friday, 23 December 2016

Source: pulse.com.gh

Akufo-Addo’s congratulatory message still excites Dogboe

The Ghanaian boxer is still in joyous mood over the congratulatory message from the president-elect. The Ghanaian boxer is still in joyous mood over the congratulatory message from the president-elect.

Newly crowned WBO International junior featherweight champion, Isaac ‘Royal Storm’ Dogboe has revealed how Ghana’s newly elected president, Nana Akufo-Addo sent him a message to congratulate him moments after he beat Julian Evaristo Aristule in Auckland, New Zealand on December 10 to win the title.

Undefeated Dogbe (16-0, 10 KOs) who returns to Ghana since the victory next Thursday, December 29 also disclosed how Ghana’s former presidents, Jerry Rawlings and John Kufuor have consistently maintained support for him, sending him congratulatory messages each time after his victories in the ring and is excited that the new chief of the country has followed suit after the victory enacted barely hours following his official declaration as Ghana’s next president-elect.

“When we fought, Isaac showed me a text from the president-elect, Nana Akufo-Addo. He sent Isaac and Team Dogboe congratulations. Isaac was jumping, so happy that he’d never had a congratulations from a current president before. That was great, that made his day. The ex-presidents, Papa J (Rawlings) and Kufuor always send us messages but this was special, the president elect said, ‘Isaac, Team Dogboe congratulations, you made the country proud, you’ve made Ghana proud,’ that one alone just moved him, he was so happy,” father and trainer of the boxer, Paul Dogboe has revealed.

“Now we have a new WBO junior featherweight international champion, Isaac Royal Storm Dogboe and we also have a new president-elect. We have to celebrate our new president and celebrate Isaac’s new title too, God should give our new president wisdom to rule and strengthen Isaac Dogboe to go on and win the world title next year,” Dogboe Snr added.

He has also extended an arm of thanks to the country at large, expressing gratitude to the entire Ghanaian populace for the massive love and support they continue to shower on Team Dogboe as they look forward to a clash against WBO number one rated super bantamweight, Cesar Juarez next year.

“The public has been great, Ghanaians are very good, they have been very good to Isaac. All the former presidents have been very supportive. Team Dogboe wants to give gratitude to all the ex-presidents in Ghana especially Papa J for financially supporting us in our last fight. We also ask God’s blessings for our new elected president and we also ask Ghanaians to join us celebrate and give thanks to God for our new WBO international title and pray for us in 2017 because Isaac will be fighting his last warm-up fight, a very tough fight before he fights for the world title,” Paul Dogboe said.

“By this same time next year by the grace of God Isaac will be champion, big things are coming up. Things can only get better, we are there now, the kid has established himself at international level, we are well rooted now,” he continued.

Dogboe Snr concluded: “They wanted us to fight for the world title but I decided let’s take one or two more fights before so we are fighting Cesar Suarez, the number one contender to the WBO title. It’s going to be very tough but we are working hard every day to overcome any challenge we face.”