The Bukom Boxing Arena is the center of Ghana’s boxing world this week as the National Boxing Championship enters its crucial final stages. The tournament, which runs through Sunday, is the main selection event for the national amateur team, the Black Bombers.
This year’s competition has seen a strong turnout, with 145 boxers entering across various weight categories. The featherweight division is the most crowded with 25 entrants, while the heavyweight division has only one competitor. The event has also seen 14 bouts require redraws due to weight and technical issues.
Boxers have come from eight of Ghana’s 16 regions, though the majority, 122 athletes are from the host Greater Accra Region. Other regions represented include Ashanti, Upper West, Northern, Central, and Volta. Boxers from the Army and Prisons Service are also competing, continuing the sport’s long link with the nation’s security services.
Greater Accra also leads in club representation, with 12 clubs present. Major gyms like Wisdom Boxing Gym, Black Panthers Boxing Foundation, and Seaview Boxing Gym have large teams and are expected to challenge for titles.
The competition has now whittled down to the finalists in most weight classes. The final matches are set for the end of February. The boxers are not just fighting for a national title; they are aiming to earn a spot on the team that will represent Ghana at the 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow and the 2026 Youth Games in Dakar, Senegal.
The Finalists are:
· 86kg: Dennis John Dugbenu (Seconds Out) vs. Bernard Kotey (Sea View)
· 48kg: Daniel Amoo (Sea View) vs. Lionel Owoo (Wisdom Boxing Gym)
· 51kg: George Dowuona (Will Power) vs. Ibrahim Doku (Black Panthers)
· 45kg: Caleb Mensah (Wisdom Boxing Gym) vs. Mathias Ashitey (Black Panthers)
· 57kg: Amadu Mohammed (Sea View) vs. Reginald Lamptey (C.Q.B.F)
· 60kg: James Okoe (Wisdom Boxing Gym) vs. Ebenezer Ankrah (Black Panthers)
· 63.5kg: Henry Owusu (Wisdom Boxing Gym) vs. Abdul Wahid Omar (Wisdom Boxing Gym)
· 71kg: Solomon Sackey (Akotoku) vs. Zakari Kamoko (Sea View)
· 75kg: Khalid (Fit Square) vs. Desmond Pappoe (Jamestown Boxing Club)
· 81kg: Mubarak Amarh (Seconds Out) vs. Abdul Wahab (Sonia)
· 92+kg: Isaac Asiedu (C.Q.B.F) vs. Daniel Plange (Jamestown Boxing Club)
The Ghana Boxing Federation is overseeing the championship. Selectors are watching the bouts closely to choose the best team for the upcoming international games. The finals at the end of February promise to showcase the best of Ghana’s amateur boxing talent.