Former Sports Minister Nii Lante Vanderpuye has expressed his belief that Ghana has greater potential to excel in boxing than football, following the recent discovery of talented young boxers from the northern part of the country.
“We have the potential to become a much better sports nation through boxing than in football,” Vanderpuye said in an interview with JoySports.
The former minister highlighted the Boxing League’s role in showcasing talent, noting that many promising fighters were emerging from the North. He emphasized that while Northerners are naturally strong, they need to acquire the necessary knowledge, skills, and techniques to complement their physical strength.
“When you have someone who is passionate and interested, and you transfer knowledge and technique to them, that, combined with their natural strength, makes them exceptional,” he added.
Ghana boasts a rich boxing history, having produced legendary fighters such as Azumah Nelson and David Kotey, primarily from the southern regions. However, Vanderpuye believes that the rise of boxers from the northern regions will significantly enhance the nation’s prospects of achieving global success in the sport.
Azumah Nelson, regarded as Africa’s greatest boxer, held the WBC Featherweight title and became a two-time Super-Featherweight champion during his illustrious career. Other notable Ghanaian boxers, such as David Kotey (“D.K. Poison”) and Joseph Agbeko, also brought international recognition to the country.
Despite its rich history, boxing in Ghana has seen a decline in recent years. The country has not had a world champion since Richard Commey lost his title to Teofimo Lopez in 2019. For the first time since 2004, Ghana had no representation in boxing at the 2024 Olympic Games.
Similarly, football in Ghana has also struggled, with the men’s national team failing to qualify for the Olympics since the 2004 Athens edition. The Black Stars, who last won a major trophy in 1982 with their Africa Cup of Nations triumph, were eliminated in the group stages of the last two editions of the tournament.