Boxing: 13 Ghanaian coaches benefit from IBA Star-1 course

Ghana’s efforts to enhance technical and tactical excellence in boxing have received a significant boost with the formal training of 13 Ghanaian coaches through the ongoing two-week Star-1 coaching course in Accra, facilitated by the International Boxing Association (IBA).

The online course, delivered by an IBA instructor saw participation from other West African nations.

However, the Ghanaian contingent of 14 coaches gathered at the Willpower Gym in James Town for the virtual lessons and examinations, conducted under strict IBA supervision. 

Notable participants included John Napari of the Ghana Army Boxing Team, Augustus Dodoo of Bukom Boxing Gym, Ransford Amugi of James Town Boxing Club, Daniel Larbi of Willpower Gym and Obed Azumbilla of Fit Square Gym, among others.

This initiative has been hailed as a major breakthrough for the sport. Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF), Bernard Quartey, believes the training will help ease the over-reliance on the long-serving head trainer of the national boxing teams, Coach Kwasi Ofori Asare, who continues to serve well beyond his retirement age.

“We have many talented coaches doing an excellent job developing young boxers in their gyms, but the challenge has been getting them certified. Proper training is crucial so that they, in turn, can develop technically sound boxers capable of winning medals,” Quartey told Graphic Sports.

“The sport has evolved—boxing today is purely scientific. You can’t just wake up and start training boxers; you need certification.

We identified this as an area requiring urgent attention because if Ghana wants to excel and secure medals on the international stage, our technical handlers must be up to date with the latest rules and regulations,” the GBF boss emphasised.

Beyond the coaching clinic, Mr Quartey confirmed that the GBF would host a Referees and Judges course from February 3-8 at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The programme will be conducted in person by an IBA Instructor from Mauritius, marking a major step towards ending Ghana’s long-standing absence of IBA-certified referees and judges.

“I have had sleepless nights over this issue since assuming office. It has been a major challenge because we always enter competitions without a single certified referee or judge representing Ghana. This needs to change,” Mr Quartey stated.

For now, however, he is relishing the positive impact the ongoing coaching course will have on the national boxing teams—the Black Bombers, Hitters and Rockets.