Veteran boxing coach Kwatelai Quartey has been recognised and penciled to receive a Special Award for his contribution to Bukom and Ghana Boxing over the years.

The history of Ghana Boxing can not be written without mentioning Coach Kwatelai Quartey aka ’Wutor’, head coach of the Bukom Boxing Club.

He is very instrumental in the reconstruction of the Bukom Boxing Club in1976 with support from Hon. Amarkai Amarteifio, then Secretary for Youth and Sports.

The gym has been in existence since the 1950s managed by Nii Nai Sackeyfio and has produced great champions, including first Olympic medalist Clement Ike Quartey Senior and amazing Floyd Quartey.

The gym still needs support because the new crop of boxers need better facilities and equipment, even roofing so they can train 24 hours on raining days.

He is a senior brother of Ike Bazooka Quartey who together with the late Alfred Cobra Kotey were some of the poineers of the Bukom Boxing Club, training at tender ages.

Coach Kwatelai Quartey is a naturally gifted trainer and our generation saw him grooming Ike Bazooka Quartey since he was six years old Alfred Cobra Kotey, Joshua Clottey and Emmanuel Clottey, Steve Dotse, James Bukom Fire Armah and Abraham Osei Bonsu to the international limelight.

His biggest achievement is guiding them to join the national team, the Black Bombers to take part in the 1988 Seoul Olympic Games and helping them to turn professional boxers.

Coach Quartey led Alfred Kotey to become the WBO Bantamweight Champion in 1994. Though Oko Odamten is credited as coach of Ike Quartey, the foundation is Wutor and he still trains many youth and juvenile boxers.

Also passing through the hands of the legendary coach were the cream of Bukom boxers, Bukom Banku, Braimah Kamoko, Bukom Tsatsu Joshua Okine, Bukom Jah Lartei Lartey, Alfred Tetteh the Stinging Bee,, Bukom Onufu Malik Jabir, Micheal Pappoe and many others.

Though he is aging, he takes delight in teaching young boxers with or without equipment, like punching bags.

"I can even use a football to train boxers how to punch" he expressed in the exclusive interview.

To him there is no excuse for not turning up for training because as a boxer, the gym is your classroom to learn about life.

Aside boxers, young trainers have also passed through his hands and it is very laudable and befitting that he has been recognised for the 2025 Boxing Ghana Awards.

Coach Quartey aka 'The Father of Bukom Boxers' thinks Ghana Boxing has sank low because there is no leading contender in world ratings and advised the government to invest in amateur boxing by taking boxers out for training tours in Eastern Europe and Asia.

He however believes that raw talent abound but talent needs management and exposure as well as opportunity.

The boxing family and BoxinGhana congratulate him for his dedicated and committed service to Ghana Boxing, especially the Bukom youth.

He has been named for a Special package in this year's Boxing Ghana Awards which takes place on January 3rd at the Idrowhyt Events Centre at Dansoman.

By Sammy Heywood Okine