Pro Boxing League: Bronx Gym, Prisons Service win to shake up race

Jesse Lartey of Ghana Prisons Service put up a stellar performance to secure a unanimous points victory over Philip Quartey of Ghana Armed Forces last Saturday to throw open the leadership race in the Ghana Professional Boxing League after Fight Night Eight.

Lartey’s victory ensured the Prisons team leapfrogged longtime leaders Armed Forces into second place but tied on points (18) with Bronx Gym who sit on top of the league standings, while third-placed Armed Forces who share the same points build-up (17) as fourth-placed Akotoku Academy.

The electric atmosphere at the packed Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra witnessed a night dominated by knockouts, with Lartey and his close friend Quartey, both former members of the national amateur team (Black Bombers), reserving the best for the last bout as they engaged in six rounds of sensational action to the delight of the crowd.

Despite a late rally by Quartey, Lartey's height advantage and superior handwork allowed him to land numerous clean shots, leaving no doubt in the minds of the judges who scored the welterweight contest 59-55, 59-56, 59-55 in favour of Lartey, a celebrated bronze medallist at the 2018 Commonwealth Games.

In other enthralling bouts of the night, Isaac Dowuona secured a second-round Technical Knockout (TKO) victory over Jonathan Pappoe of Wisdom Boxing Gym, as the Bronx Boxing Gym claimed their sixth win in eight fights, propelling them to the top of the league standings.

Fawo Mensah of Panix Gym earned a unanimous points victory over Kofi Dana of Fit Square Gym in a six-round welterweight contest with the judges scoring the fight 59-56, 60-45, 60-54 in favour Mensah who handed his gym only their fourth win of the competition to leave them in eighth position on the 14-team table.

Africanus Neequaye of Akotoku Academy stopped Zuriel Marbell of Palm Springs/ The Gym in the fourth round of their light-welterweight contest, with referee Richard Ghartey stepping in one minute and 38 seconds into the round to hand Africanus, a student of Labone SHS, a well-deserved TKO victory.

Similarly, Mohammed Fuseini of the Charles Quartey Boxing Federation (CQBF) and Akumus Annan Ampiah of Attoh Quarshie Gym secured TKO victories in their respective fights.

Fuseini subjected Eric Tetteh of Sea View Gym to severe punishment in the sixth round of their super-bantamweight contest and forced referee David Nettey to stop the bout with just 12 seconds left on the clock to save Tetteh.

For Ampiah, it was an easy payday against Moses Hammond of Bright Gym, stopping his opponent in the second round after referee Nathaniel Obeng stepped in to save Hammond in one minute and 31 seconds inside the round.

Teenage sensation Cann Neequaye, a student of Accra Academy SHS, continued his promising career as he put his older opponent Hope Mawuli to sleep with a third-round knockout for a second consecutive win over his opponent.