GBA salutes Professor Azumah Nelson on 60th birthday

The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), has sent goodwill message to boxing legend Professor Azumah Nelson, on his 60th birthday celebration, which falls on July 19.

The birthday message read, "without doubt Africa’s greatest boxer Azumah Nelson has been inducted into the Boxing Hall of Fame, received many awards and acknowledgements from the world’s premier boxing sanctioning body - The World Boxing Council (WBC) among others".

It said the GBA has already bestowed the Greatest and Best Super Featherweight of All Time honour on Azumah and they are reliably informed that Alexis Arguello from Nicaragua, is expected to send a team to Accra to present the accolade to the legend.

The three-time world boxing champion assumed legendary status in his homeland Ghana and globally when he dominated the super featherweight division as a champion for 10 years.

He was subsequently inducted as the first African into the International Boxing Hall of Fame in the year 2004. Azumah Nelson, a respected statesman in his native Ghana, also established Azumah Nelson foundation to help the young to realize their potential through education and sport.

The turning point in Azumah’s career happened in June 1982, when he was handed an opportunity to fight Salvadore Sanchez for the WBC featherweight title. It was a tough bout and the young Ghanaian boxer at the time lost in the 15th round.

But his spirited performance against the better established Mexican-born world champion impressed the decision makers of the sport to grant him another opportunity.

Two years after the Sanchez episode Azumah Nelson rose to the occasion and defeated Wilfredo Gomez to win the WBC featherweight title.

Azumah, nicknamed the Professor, has received the WBC Champion Award at the sanctioning body’s 55th Convention in Baku, Azerbaijan.

The 60th milestone edition of the Azumah Nelson Fight Night code named ‘The Battle’ takes will be a five-fight bill.