Amateur boxing Coach Theophilus Edwin Addo who is contesting for an executive position in the next GABF congress has urged Ghanaian boxers to strive to attain some basic education before entering the sport or get education and train at the same time.
He noted that boxers and their coaches must be well educated to be able to understand the rules and regulations of the sport if the Ghana Amateur Boxing Federation (GABF) wishes to produce world class champions.
According to the coach who handles boxers at the Akotoku Academy Club, boxers must be intelligent in order to produce quality shows in the ring, which is called “Ringcraft” and be able to assess opponents and determine when to end the fight.
Speaking to yours truly in Accra, the AIBA licensed coach who also supports the national boxing team of Ghana, the Black Bombers said there are many talented boxers in the country, but lack of basic education has deprived them of many things, like accurate punching, calculations in the ring before punching and even how to read contracts.
Evans Addo said there are many opportunities for prize fighters, however, they must be sensible, intelligent, crafty and naughty in the ring.
He expressed that the game of boxing is very difficult than football, which is the number one sport in Ghana and boxers have no duty to toy with their opponents when the opportunity comes for a knock out.
He adviced amateur boxers not to rush into turning professional, but strive to box for the, country and continent, before deciding to take on the world.
“The game is very hard and chances cannot be taken” he told yours truly.
Addo who has traveled with the Black Bombers to some international fights in Europe and the African continent pointed out that experienced amateurs become very good professional boxers.
He observed that if amateur boxers participate in tournaments like the Commonwealth Games and Olympic Games it allows them not to fear any opposition and hoped that Ghanaian boxers will stay with the Black Bombers for at least five years or at most ten years to acquire the much needed experience.
He named Professor Azumah Nelson of Ghana, Sugar Ray Leonard of the USA as a few examples of amateur boxers who won Commonwealth or Olympic gold medals and put up splendid performance as professionals.