Tamale, Dec. 17, GNA - Mr. Gideon Quartey, a boxing promoter from the Dade Boxing Syndicate in Accra has embarked on a boxing talent hunt in the Northern, Upper East and Upper West Regions to unearth and promote boxing in the country. He has in this vein therefore spent over 30 million cedis to renovate the existing boxing facilities in the Northern Region to serve as a training venue for potential boxers.

Mr. Quartey alias "AK", disclosed this to the GNA Sports in Tamale on Friday when he presented boxing equipment valued at about 12 million cedis to the Northern Region Sports Council to enhance boxing in the Region. The equipment included gloves, gum shields, hand pads and punching bags to support the regional team to have effective boxing training. Mr Quartey said the focus would be on amateur boxing, but added that he would consider professionals who needed assistance and to assist them to have a push to distinguish themselves in their chosen career. He said that almost all the boxing professionals currently in Accra were from the Northern parts of the country and that there was the need to bring boxing to the doorstep of the area to nurture more aspirant boxers to contest for national and international competitions in and outside the country.

Mr. Albert Atutiga, Northern Regional Chairman of the Ghana Amateur Boxing Association said boxing was the main occupation of the youth in the three Northern Regions in the '70s but dwindled due to lack of support and encouragement. He said until recently, the Northern Region had no boxing coach, a situation that led to the "death" of the game in the region and called for its rejuvenation. Mr. Atutiga described the intervention of Dade Boxing Promotion in the Region as "a very exciting moment" for boxers in the North and appealed to the syndicate not to let its initiative be "a nine-day wonder".

Mr. Gabriel Yaw Missodey, Northern Regional Sports Development Officer who received the equipment said the Regional Sports Council would involve all the 18 District Chief Executives in the Region as well as those from the Upper East and the Upper West Regions to help hunt for more talents. He said with the selection of the Region to host the National Sports Festival, it was expected that sporting activities including boxing, athletics, tennis and basketball would be given the needed boost and promoted in the Region. Mr Ekow Acquah and Mr Ishmael Ablormeti, Northern Region Sports Council coaches were tasked to ensure that the potential boxers to be selected would have adequate training to sustain the game in the region.