Ghana and Boxing Hall of Famer, Azumah Nelson in an interview with Ghana’s number one sports station Happy FM says poor coaching is hindering the country from getting more world champions.
According to him, most of the boxing coaches in Ghana lack the skills to develop boxers who can be contenders for world titles despite the abundance of talents in the country.
Azumah was speaking on the back of Richard Commey’s defeat to Tiefiomo Lopez as he lost the Lightweight belt.
“Currently we are not able to produce world champions or they are unable to defend their titles due to poor coaching. We have a lot of boxers in the country who can be potential world champions but due to lack of proper coaching, we are not able to realize it, he said on Anopa Bosuo Sports on Happy FM.
“Our fighters are using strength instead of the technics. The coaches are the one supposed to show them that but that is not the case. They are the ones to teach the boxers that”.
“Anyone can be a world champion, but defending the title is what really makes you a world champion. The coaches don’t understand the technics of boxing that is why our boxes are not able to defend their titles”, he concluded.
He called on the government to come to the assistance of boxing coaches in the country.
“The government must come in to train these boxing coaches. Sometimes they go in for a fitness coach and they claim he is a boxing coach. There is no proper regulation and certification for boxing coaches in the country”.
On Richard Commey’s defeat to Tiefomo Lopez, he advised the boxer to take a break and reflect on his mistakes and bounce back.
By Herbert Boakye Yiadom