Accra, Sept 15, GNA - The Greater Accra Amateur Boxing Association (GAABA) has opened registration for the second edition of its boxing league, scheduled to commence later in the year.

The exercise paves way for interested boxing gyms within the Accra Metropolis and its environs to confirm their participation in the event, which is expected to form the basis for the selection of boxers into the national amateur team, the Black Bombers.

Gideon Quartey, Vice - Chairman of GAABA told the GNA Sports that the exercise, which began on Thursday, September 14 will last till the end of the month.

He said that some gyms from the Eastern and Central Regions have confirmed their participation in the championships, which has about close to 17 boxing gyms competing in the maiden edition. Mr Quartey added that the Ghana Prisons Service has indicated their interest in joining the league but are yet to finalise their participation.

Interested gyms are to contact the GAABA Secretariat to formalise their registration.

Meanwhile, the third edition of the special weekly contest organised by the Association to keep the boxers in top shape for the league came off last Friday at the Prisons Canteen. In the Light flyweight division, Raphael Abrompa of Wisdom Gym outclassed Faisal Abubakar of the Bronx Gym while Raymond Commey of Square Deal emerged victor over Jackson Nortey, also from Bronx Gym in the Bantamweight class.

Attoh Quarshie's Offei Dodoo maintained his unbeaten run by out punching Sani Dindana of Wisdom Gym in the Featherweight division just as Will Power's Ben Lamptey replicating a similar feat over Raphael Coffie of Attoh Quarshie Gym in the Light Welterweight division. The "Pride of Ashaiman", Felix Agbozo defeated Dade Gym's Tanko Mandia also in the Light Welterweight division. In the Middleweight division, Emmanuel Tagoe of Black Panthers Gym made mince meat of Attoh Quarshie's Charles Stella with Boniface Yaw of Dade Gym crowning his debut with a sweet victory over the fans favourite, Sampson Dzaku in their Light heavyweight encounter.

Fit Okine "must bid her time"- Paha

Hangzou, Sept 15, GNA - "In football, one can only pick 11 players and not 12 and that is why Sheila Okine must wait for her time." This were the words of Black Queens coach Isaac Paha's attempt to explain why Okine was left out of the team that exhibited strong signs of deficiency in the middle in their game against Canada on Saturday at the FIFA Women's World Cup currently underway in China.

The Queens lost 0-4 to the North Americans the second of their defeat in the competition to effectively crush out of the championship. Coach Paha in defence of his decision to keep the experienced player on the bench at a post match meeting with the media said, "We have roles for every player and Okine will have her chance" when necessary.

The fit Okine is one of the few experienced players in the team with two World Cup appearances under her belt.

Coach Paha, however, does not seem to agree that experience is such a crucial ingredient at the big stage like the World Cup. "Let me go a bit deep into this. It is important to assess players not based on their past performance but current status."

The coach refused to accept that his side lost from the bench when journalists suggested and questioned his mode of selection of players for the game that the team needed to win to stay in contention. "I don't agree that we lost from the bench because one cannot always win."

Coach Paha claimed the best materials were those assembled for the game in which the Queens conceded the midfield throughout the match. The coach's mode of selection and approach to the game came under the international media's microscope with journalists questioning why he failed to make use of and to rely on experienced players as a critical factor.