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FEATURE: After the Olympic Games, what next?
NOT all fighters become great at the professional ranks after their amateur careers but to these three Ghanaian boxers, becoming a world champion is the only motivation.
That is an ambitious dream to have but it takes more than talent to achieve it. A boxer needs dedication and determination to reach higher heights and those are difficult attributes.
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Sulemanu Tetteh, Samuel Takyi and Shakur Samed will be Ghana’s three boxing representatives at the Olympic Games in July. The games provide them an opportunity to move into the professional ranks as Olympics medallists.
But that must be earned. Tetteh, Takyi and Samed must work for it if they really want history to remember them as winners of the most prestigious medal in amateur boxing.
The trio have their own different inspirational stories behind them. While Tetteh expects his second appearance at the Olympics to be a successful one, Samed hopes to follow in his two elder siblings Bastie Samir and Issa Samir’s shoes at the global showpiece.
Takyi on the other hand is confident of snatching a medal at the Olympics on his first attempt. It is going to be a tall order for these amateur fighters.
Sulemanu Tetteh
“I know what is at stake for us and that is the focus going into this prestigious competition,” Tetteh said in an interview with Graphic Sports.
“We have to go the extra mile to win a medal and I am focused on achieving that since this will be my last amateur competition,” he added.
Tetteh may be right. He is 28 years and age is catching up with him. Fighters his age are either world champions or closing in on their maiden championship fight.
The Wisdom Boxing Club fighter is still an amateur despite achieving so much as an amateur. Tetteh has participated at Commonwealth Games, world championships and the Olympics, among others, with so many medals to his credit.
However, he hopes to finish his amateur career on a high note by winning a medal at the Olympics, a competition he participated in during the 2012 edition in London.
Samuel Takyi
“He is a motivation to us going into the games because he has been there before,” Takyi told Graphic Sports of his colleague Tetteh. “We learn a lot from him during training sessions and I believe he will have a bright professional career when he turns professional.”
Takyi has a long way to go in the fistic sport. At age 19, the youngster has the chance to gain so much experience at a tournament such as the Olympics and must take opportunity.
He might not win a medal but an impressive display could propel him to success when he turns professional.
“I want to turn professional very soon and hopefully after the Olympics. That has always been my dream and I can’t wait to take advantage of this great competition.
“That is my focus now and I am working hard to ensure I don’t return from Tokyo empty-handed. It is not going to be easy but I am confident I can win a medal,” said Takyi.
Shakur Samed
The Olympics remain a lasting legacy to the Samir family. A family that have had two of its sons participate in the global showpiece.
Bastie Samir and younger brother Issa Samir were the pacesetters in the family to participate in the 2008 Olympics in Beijing, China.
While Bastie competed at light-heavyweight, Issa featured in the bantamweight division but both failed to make any significant impact at the tournament.
Thirteen years later, the youngest of the Samir family, Shakur Samed, takes his turn at the global showpiece with the aim of improving on the records of his brothers.
“My father ensured I become a boxer to be able to follow in the footsteps of my brothers,” said Samed. Luckily for me, I have the chance to feature in the Olympics and I can’t wait to take up that chance.
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“It is a challenge to me to work harder to improve on my brothers records at the games. That is what keeps me moving and I believe I will come back with a medal,” he said.
The future, however, looks bright for the light-heavyweight boxer who has a dream of winning big as a professional. That could be determined after the Olympics in August.
”I have plans of being a world champion as a professional and I can’t wait to achieve that. The only thing now is that I have to wait to decide after the Olympics.”
