Ghana Navy wins 2018 GAF Inter-services boxing competition

The Ghana Navy team have been crowned the overall champions of the 2018 Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) Inter-services boxing competition.

The two day event, which came off at the Nicholson stadium saw a dominant Ghana Navy team, amassing a total of 21 points from seven victories in 14 fights.

The Ghana Air Force team, came second with 12 points from four wins, while the Ghana Army were third with nine points from three wins.

Lightweight boxer Abi Adzartey Alfred, was adjudged the best male boxer, whilst middleweight boxer Anatu Mohammed of the Army team won the best female boxer.

Heavyweight boxer Dodoi Larry of the Air Force, was however given an award as the best loser.

Gold medals were presented to eventual winners of the final eliminators.

The competition conducted under the International Amateur Boxing Association (IABA) rules with three rounds for each bout, saw a large and enthusiastic spectators who were entertained by the boxers.

Air Vice Marshal (AVM) Issifu Sakib Kadri, a former Commandant at the Ghana Armed Forces and Staff College, who was the special guest congratulated the boxers and organisers for a good show.

He said the exercise was important in the training of the Armed Forces.

“One of the strategic objectives of the Ghana Armed Forced is to improve on the state of its combat readiness and the training of the personnel of the Armed forces forms an integral part in achieving this objective.

“As part of overall training, the Inter-Services Boxing Competition should not be treated lightly as it marks a very special occasion in the training calendar of the GAF and I must say Iam very proud to be associated with it,” he said.

“As part of the elements of the profession, soldiers are sometimes required to defend themselves when the need arises in personal combat. It is therefore imperative that the individual soldier, is physically fit and imbued with self-defensive skills necessary to face any such threat.

“Competitions such as this provide the needed impetus for personal unarmed combat training. Continuous training is a must for us in the military, if we are to be ready always to maintain the peace and stability currently being enjoyed in this dear nation of ours.” AVM Kadri noted.

AVM Kadri said the competition also presented a chance to unearth talents within GAF to help the nation.

“Besides achieving our strategic objectives, one of the benefits of this year’s Inter Service Boxing Competition is to enable the Ghana Armed Forces unearth national sports talents capable of representing the country at the International level.

“In the past, the Ghana Armed Forces was well noted in this regard with some of its boxers achieving laurels for the country. Notable among them is EX WOI Tijani Moro (Pride of the Armed Forces) of the Ghana Air Force who won bronze in Boxing for Ghana in the 1994 Commonwealth Games held in Victoria, Canada.

“He later became National Super Featherweight champion in 2000. Let’s therefore see this as our modest contribution to Boxing development in the country,” he added.