Boxing league will help improve record — Trainer

A RENOWNED boxing trainer, Fatai Issifu, known in boxing circles as "Pakistan," has praised the ongoing Ghana Profeesional Boxing League at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra as a valuable platform for local boxers to build their fight records. 

However, he emphasised that the league was merely a stepping stone, and called for greater efforts to secure international bouts for Ghanaian fighters.

In an interview with the Graphic Sports, Issifu expressed concern that Ghana might struggle to produce world champions because local boxers were not gaining the recognition or international ratings necessary to compete at the high levels. 

He pointed to the Ghana Boxing Authority’s (GBA) absence from international boxing conventions and its failure to leverage the country’s rich boxing history as contributing factors.

“Formerly, our boxers had opportunities to fight for Commonwealth titles and eliminators because of the leadership we had then. But now, they struggle to get any fight of international repute because we don’t attend meetings and conventions of the international boxing bodies to make an input,” Issifu explained.

Issifu also noted that many Ghanaian boxers were currently fighting for survival rather than pursuing titles, a trend he believed did not bode well for the future of the sport in the country. 

“The boxing league has come in to support the livelihood of boxers and get some records for them. However, for our boxers to get closer to the world title, they must fight outside the country and face good opponents,” he stated.

Issifu urged the GBA to be proactive in establishing relationships with international boxing organisations, which would enable Ghanaian boxers to secure high profile fights and improve their rankings at the global stage.

“If we want our boxers to win world titles or fight for world titles, then we must broaden our horizon, support them to fight the best outside the country, and help them to get the best victories.”