Rising star Amadu chasing Olympic dreams after stellar year

Ghana’s boxing sensation, Mohammed Amadu, is riding high after being crowned Boxer of the Year at the prestigious Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards.

But for the 20-year-old prodigy, this accolade is just the beginning. 

With his sights firmly set on Olympic glory, Amadu is determined to etch his name into the annals of sporting history. Amadu’s meteoric rise has been nothing short of extraordinary. 

Last year, he was one of four Ghanaian boxers to clinch gold at the Accra 2023 African Games, cementing his status as one of the continent’s brightest talents. 

This triumph followed an impressive performance at the IBA World Championships in Uzbekistan, where he became the only African boxer to reach the quarter-finals.

Nonetheless, his remarkable feat as Africa’s best-performing boxer in the tournament may have tipped the scales in his favour as SWAG crowned him Fighter of the Year, ahead of his former national teammate Joseph ‘Jaguar’ Commey.

Olympic glory

While Commey has since turned professional, winning the UBO Africa lightweight title on his debut and scooping the Best Professional Boxer award at the recent Boxing Ghana Awards, Amadu remains steadfast in the amateur ranks.

His mission? To bring home an Olympic medal for Ghana.

“I am not surprised, I deserve it. It is well-deserved because if you watch the 2023 World Championships, I was the only African boxer quarter-finalist, and at the African Games, I also won gold. So I fully deserve this,” Amadu told the Graphic Sports, proudly displaying his SWAG plaque.

But for the young fighter, this award is more than just personal recognition. “This award is not just for me, it’s for my gym, Bukom Boxing Club, my coach, my management, my fans, my family, my grandmother and my aunties. I thank them all for this SWAG Award,” he said with gratitude.

Amadu’s ambition burns brighter than ever as he sets his sights on the Paris 2024 Olympics. “I am still in the amateur game, giving myself another chance to compete in the Olympic Games.

I have to win an Olympic medal for Ghana. That is my dream, and I will make sure that I win it,” he declared with unwavering determination.

Looking ahead, Amadu -- a former student of La Presec -- is also setting his sights on upcoming global competitions, including the World Championships and Commonwealth Games.

But beyond personal glory, he aims to etch his name alongside Ghanaian boxing legends. “Many people in Ghana may not know me, but I am eager to prove to everyone that Ghana has a good boxer called Amadu Mohammed, who is coming to break the records of Azumah Nelson and [David Kotei] D.K. Poison.

Something big is coming in 2025, 2026 and beyond—so watch out, everybody!” he added with unwavering confidence.