Ace boxing journalist, Ekow Asmah has urged the sports media to branch their interests into boxing and promote Ghana Boxing.

Speaking to the experienced and accomplished writer, he observed that boxing journalists are only a handful in Ghana, and the bulk join when there is negative news or a popular boxing personality visiting the country.

He noted that the low interest in reporting boxing is a factor to proving that boxing is the number one sport in Ghana that has achieved much in terms of medal and laurels for the nation.

He recalled that after almost 30 years without an Olympic medal. it was Samuel Takyi, a young boxer from Atukpai who won a bronze medal for the whole of Africa at the 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games.

According to Mr. Asmah who worked with the Graphic Communications before moving to the US, boxing has given the nation eleven world champions including Abigail Quartey, a female boxer who won the IBF title last year.

He named David Kotey aka Poison,  Prof. Azumah Nelson, Ike Bazooka Quartey, Alfred Cobra Kotey, Nana Yaw Konadu. Joshua Clottey, Joseph Agbeko, Isaac Dogboe, Emmanuel Tagoe and Richard Commey as real heroes who must be recognised and cherished.

Mr. Ekow Asmah said boxing is a passion of the inhabitants of the capital of Ghana and they love and practice the sport even more than football, however for the past five years there has not been a boxer who is rated at the top with the world boxing bodies like the World Boxing Council (WBC), World Boxing Association (WBA), international Boxing Federation (IBF) and World Boxing Organisation (WBO).

He observed that the population of Boxing writers is very few and appealed to sports journalists to generate the interest in writing on boxing and using the right preferred terminologies.

He commended the few dedicated and loyal boxing writers like Yours Truly, Prince Dornu Leiku and Nat Attoh who combines ring announcing to his trade.

Mr. Asmah wished that more sports journalists would specialize in boxing reporting to help the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) to publise their activities and programmes.

The author of books on Ghana Boxing expressed that although there are many skilful and talented boxers out there doing their best, they are not recognised in the world ratings because the leadership of the GBA is not in tune or networking with the various international bodies as compared to the time of the late Mr. Allotei Cofie aka Nii Ajenkwa who rose to become a Vice President of the WBC.

He also encouraged boxing officials especially managers and promoters to have the network and links to connect with the top personalities in the world of boxing so that Ghana can host world championships as being done in Saudi Arabia recently.

"Ghana was known as the Mecca of Boxing in Africa and we must maintain it by being proactive and resourceful when it comes to boxing matters" he stated.

The member of the seven member Ministerial Committee formed to investigate the death of the Nigerian Boxer Gabriel Oluwsegun Olanrewaju and make recommendations for a better boxing eco system said it is just unfortunate that leadership and direction has been a problem.

He called for unity and focus among the boxing community and exposure for the young rising boxers who need to compete among themselves to determine the best in the nation.

As Ghana Boxing is currently at the crossroads with the Ministry of Sports and Recreation calling for resetting and reforms, he hoped that the media would be resourced and have the interest to promote and give maximum publicity to boxing issues.

"The future is very bright because there are many juvenile and youth boxers who can make it, if they are supported" he added.

By Sammy Heywood Okine