On this day 28 April 2018(Exactly 2 years ago today) Isaac Dogboe got off the canvas after a first-round knockdown to capture the WBO Super Bantamweight championship via 11th-round technical knockout over the favored Jessie Magdaleno in an excellent fight from Liacouras Center in Philadelphia.
Magdaleno, who was a minus-225 favorite, scored a knockdown with a sweeping left hand that landed on the side of Dogboe’s head. Things looked bad for the 23-year-old Ghanaian early, but he had a better round in the second, lost ground in the third, but really began to take control in the fourth.
He was finding a home for his right hand and he never stopped throwing hard shots to the body. In the fifth round, Dogboe landed a crushing counter right hand that dropped Magdaleno like a ton of bricks.
Magdaleno made his way to his feet, but he wasn’t all there.
Dogboe kept a measured, but consistent assault coming his way with more right hands and body shots. Magdaleno made it through the round, but Dogboe had snatched away the momentum and he sustained the advantage over the next four rounds. Magdaleno showed heart in trying to regain the movement and zeal he had early, but the impact of Dogboe’s body punching appeared to be limiting his opponent’s movement and will to continue.
In the 11th round, Dogboe looked to have landed a body shot low. Magdaleno reacted, but the referee did not step in. Dogboe paused momentarily but kept punching when there was no break. A left hook dropped Magdaleno. He complained about the low blow, but it was ruled an official knockdown. Magdaleno again rose to his feet. Moments later, Dogboe whacked away at Magdaleno on the ropes until the champion fell to his knees and accepted the referee’s decision to stop the fight.
Dogboe immediately raised his arms in celebration .
After the fight, Magdaleno showed great sportsmanship in coming over to congratulate Dogboe.
Elsewhere;
On this day 28 April 1963 (Exactly 57 years ago today ) Kumasi Asante Kotoko travelled to Sunyani to play the Brong Ahafo United in a 1962/63 League match, but the match ended abruptly. Fifteen minutes after the start of the game, B. A. United player by name Kofi Antwi tripped down Abukari of Kotoko. The referee blew his whistle to award a direct free kick for Kotoko. While Abukari was lying down Antwi again kicked him for the second time, although the referee had whistled and given a decision.
Not quite long after, Nana Darko Kufour,chairman of Kotoko asked his boys to walk off the field for alleged hostile reception and perceived injustice.
On the following Monday, Kotoko Executive in Kumasi travelled to Accra and held a meeting with the Accra Executive and, after a stormy three hour meeting, a statement issued said that Kotoko had decided that their participation in the National League should “now be on a non-scoring basis. “
The statement said that the decision has been taken because the “spirit of fair competition no longer exists in the League ” and because the club could not “lend itself to the negation of the principles and virtues of sportsmanship. “
The statement accused the Central Organisation of Sports (C. O. S) and Sports Director , Ohene Djan, of partiality for Republikans, alleging they were “determined to ensure the victory of Real Republicans at all costs in the League .”
It said the Sports Director was guilty of several acts “in pursuance of the objective of winning the League for Republikans .” These acts, according to the statement, included the supply of jerseys and football equipment to clubs drawn to meet either Republicans or Kotoko with the concealed intent of exerting moral pressure upon them either to minimize their opposition against Republikans or resort to tactics which may cause the defeat of Kotoko… “
Referring to their last match with Brong Ahafo United which was abandoned, the statement said they had drawn the attention of the Director to the circular of the Regional Commissioner for Brong Ahafo which “could have the effect of inspiring hostility towards visiting teams. “
It went on: ” Mr Ohene Djan assured us of every protection and asked us to consider that as a test of his ability to provide us with adequate security at all times.
“The result of that test was that the match was abandoned after only fifteen minutes of play. “
Concluding, the statement said : “We have now decided that our participation in the League should be on non – competitive basis and request the C. O. S. to award the championship to the Ghana Real Republikans. “
On May 3, 1963, the Director of Sports, Mr Ohene Djan, issued a statement in answer to Asante Kotoko’s accusations of bias towards Ghana Real Republikans Sporting Club.
Quoted below are some of the relevant portions:
“I have always, at club level, shown greater bias and love for Asante Kotoko but my peculiar interest in and special encouragement to individual players of Black Star calibre has always made it difficult for this to be readily appreciated even though it cannot be challenged by cogent facts or objective analysis.
“It was for this peculiar interest of mine in national players that drew me very close to Asante Kotoko in the G. A. F. A. days when Kotoko supplied the cream of our national team. It was this peculiar love of interest which gave Asante Kotoko that unique privilege and enabled them to enjoy copiously my personal hospitality.
“They were then competing in the National League with other Ghanaian clubs and despite the fact that they received personal gifts of jerseys, boots and pants and even lavish hospitality from me on the eve of League matches, the other clubs played undisturbed and in the first year Hearts of Oak, despite my personal attachment to Kotoko, played sportingly and won the championship.
“It was this same peculiar love I have in Black Star players that enabled Mfum and other Kotoko players to raise unrecoverable personal ‘loan’ from me, during the historic tour of Europe, to enable them to buy items of sports clothing for Asante Kotoko.
“I have taken the trouble to state these facts to prove that, if anything at all, I have had and still have love or bias for Kotoko…
“At club level I show no bias for the Republikans Club individually, and this has been my policy ever since I came associated with Ghana football reconstruction. I take fancy in the members of the Black Star Group playing
in all clubs including Kotoko. It is for this reason that I constantly show petty favours to Adarkwa, Mfum and Salisu, all of Kotoko.
“The same privilege is extended to those members of the Black Star Group playing for Republikans. At club level I feel honestly that I show grater bias for Kotoko affairs.
“Even when Republikan players were heavily involved in the Kpeve mishap, I had to insist that the League fixtures involving them be honoured without postponement.
“I have already taken a decision in the interest of peace and harmony to order replay in respect of the Brong-Ahafo /Kotoko last fiasco match on neutral grounds, Accra, even though when Hearts were involved in a similar fiasco match with Kotoko at Kumasi in 1958, I ordered the replay for the same venue.
“The Kotoko chairman is already aware of this decision of mine.
“In conclusion, I submit that no criticism of isolated facts can nullify the truth that at club level and in this tense rivalry between Kotoko and Republikans, I show greater bias towards the former. “
Asante Kotoko later described Mr Ohene Djan’s statement as “sham” and said that “it was only calculated to throw dust into the eyes of the public. “
Brong Ahafo United refused to play the match in Accra. They claimed that Kotoko should lose the points since they walked off from the field.
The matter was referred to the Mills – Odoi Committee set up by the C. O. S. to investigate causes of frictions between clubs. The Committee ruled that the replay should take place at Sunyani, but warned that it could take place after a political background to the crisis had been settled.
On July 7,1963, at the Residency in Kumasi, the political background to this confusion was settled by the Regional Commissioner, Mr R. O. Amoako -Atta. The Brongs accused Kotoko supporters of singing provocative songs and also using foul language while Kotoko also accused the Brongs of making provocative announcements on propaganda vans during their first match.
The following Sunday –July 14–the day fixed for the replay of the match at Sunyani, Brong Ahafo United failed to turn up. Asante Kotoko travelled to Sunyani and were surprisingly greeted with eleven sheep with red bands around their necks on the field. The “red” bands signify Kotoko jerseys. This had it obvious humiliating effect.
Since Kotoko decided to play on non – scoring basis, they didn’t approach League matches with any seriousness and they even failed to play Ahorsu United at Ho in their last League match, thus losing the two points. Interest in the League had been killed.
The season ended with Republikans as champions with 58 points, and Kotoko runners -up with 55 points.
On this day 28 April 1982 (Exactly 38 years ago today)Kumasi Asante Kotoko defeated Accra Hearts of Oak 3 – 0 at the Kumasi Sports Stadium in a midweek outstanding league match. Former RTU star P.M.K. Kusi opened the scoring on the 16th minute, before Opoku Nti (44) and Opoku Afriyie (64)
On this day 28 April 1996 (Exactly 24 years ago today) Obuasi Goldfields (Ashantigold FC) won the Ghanaian League for the third year in succession.
There were goals galore on the final match day of the 1995/96 season with Goldfields beating Dawu 5-1,Dwarfs whipping Voradep 6 – 0 , and King Faisal beating Afienya United 5-4.
Interestingly, Joe Fameye scored all the four goals for Afienya.
Kotoko were held to a goalless draw at Ghapoha, finishing a point behind Goldfields.
- Goldfields 51
2.Kotoko. 50
3.Okwawu 46
4.Olympics 44
5.Hearts 42
On this day 28 April 2001 (Exactly 19 years ago today) Retired Ghanaian female track and field athlete Vida Nsiah run 100mh Ghanaian record 13.02 sec at the Penn Relays in Philadelphia, USA
On this day 28 April 1923 (Exactly 97 years ago today) Wembley Stadium was opened with the FA Cup final played between Bolton Wanderers and West Ham United. Bolton won 2 – 0 with goals from David Jack and Jack Smith.
The original Wembley Stadium ( formerly known as the Empire Stadium) was a football stadium in Wembley Park, London, which stood on the same site now occupied by its successor.
The stadium’s distinctive Twin Towers became its trademark and nickname. Also well known were the 39 steps needed to be climbed to reach the Royal box and collect a trophy (and winners’/losers’ medals).
Wembley was the first pitch to be referred to as “Hallowed Turf”, with many stadia around the world borrowing this phrase. In 1934, the Empire Pool was built nearby. The “Wembley Stadium Collection” is held by the National Football Museum.
The stadium closed in October 2000 and demolition commenced in December 2002, completing in 2003 for redevelopment. The top of one of the twin towers was erected as a memorial in the park on the north side of Overton Close in the Saint Raphael’s Estate.
On this day 28 April 1999 (Exactly 21 years ago today) English FIFA World Cup winning Coach Alf Ramsey died in a nursing home at the age of 79 from a heart attack.
He was buried in a private ceremony at Old Ipswich Cemetery on 7 May 1999. The location of the funeral in Ipswich rather than in London was regarded as a snub to the Football Association whose members Ramsey had never forgiven for his sacking from the England manager post in 1974.
On this day 28 April 2010 (Exactly 10 years ago today) Inter Milan survived Thiago Motta’s early red card and Gerard Pique’s late goal to reach a first European Champion Clubs’ final since 1972
FC Barcelona 1 – 0 Internazionale Milano
(Inter progressed agg: 2 – 3)
On this day 28 April 1967 (Exactly 53 years ago today) Muhammad Ali refused induction into the army and was stripped of his boxing title
BY: GEORGE ‘Alan Green’ MAHAMAH
