'Gameboy' Tagoe to relocate to USA after January 26 bout

Emmanuel "Gameboy" Tagoe, the World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Africa Lightweight Champion, will relocate to the United States of America (USA), after his fight on January 26, at the Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra.

He revealed this, when he called on the Gaming Commission of Ghana, at its Headquarters in Accra on Friday, January 11.

The visit, was to officially inform the Commission of his final bout, at the Bukom Boxing Arena, where he would fight Russian Vyacheslav Gusev in a WBO Global and International Boxing Federation (IBF) International titles on January 26.

Tagoe (29-1, 14 KOs), who recently signed for American promoter, Lou DiBella would fight in the second edition of the Asamoah Gyan "Fight Night 2" with his 33-year-old Russian opponent, who is the current IBF-International Super Featherweight Champion and holds a record 30 fights, with eight knockouts and five loses.

Tagoe, at the meeting presented his three title belts - WBO Africa Lightweight belt, International Boxing Organisation (IBO) Africa Lightweight belt and World Boxing Association (WBA) Africa Lightweight title – to the Commission.

Tagoe, thanked the Commission for granting him the audience and urged them to come to the venue to support him win his last fight in Ghana, before he relocates to the USA for new challenge in his career.

He said, he had been encouraged by the support shown to him by the Commission and promised nothing short of “a sweet victory” on the night.

“I have been motivated by the support of the Commission and I promise to defend the flag of Ghana in the fight. I know my opponent is as strong as I am because he also holds three titles, but I am confident of one thing and that is victory,” Tagoe said.

Mr Kobby Annan, Deputy Commissioner of the Gaming Commission who received Tagoe on behalf of the Commission thanked Tagoe for recognising the Commission’s contribution to the development of the sport.

“Having you here is one of its kind because it is the first time we are having a boxing champion coming to the Gaming Commission. You have made yourself proud and you have made Ghana proud,” Mr Annan said.

He noted that Tagoe, had written his name in the annals of boxing greats in the country and urged him to work harder with discipline to achieve more.

He pledged that the Commission would support boxing to produce more champions, adding that, the entire staff of the Commission would be at the Arena on the fight night.

“We know that a lot has to be done (to support the game), but I promise you that the Gaming Commission is streamlining our procedures and also making sure that our operators and stakeholders within the industry, do not only look at sports as only football but also look at boxing as well.

"I know you have been crying for corporate help to make boxing grow and it is our corporate responsibility to help.

“It would be a cooperate responsibility for all operators to help you and we will help you and those who will come to us. And even if you are out of boxing we will still be helping you. Ghana needs more champions like you but champions don’t fall from heaven, we will help make the champions,” he added.