Ghanaian boxer eyes WBO jr lightweight bout

By Prince Dornu-Leiku

Even though he is in faraway Accra, Ghana’s WBO Africa Super


Featherweight champion Maxwell Awuku’s eyes are firmly set on the Echo Arena in


Liverpool, UK as he eagerly awaits Saturday night’s WBO Super Featherweight


clash for the world title between champion Ricky Burns and challenger Nicky


Cook.

Awuku, 23-2-1 (14 KOs), currently ranked number 11 in the


WBO Junior Lightweight division, says he is ready to be the king of the


section. The Ghanaian hopes victory in his scheduled fight for the vacant Commonwealth


Lightweight title on August 27 will up his case for a shot at the WBO belt against


either of Burns or Cook, whoever wins Saturday’s fight in Liverpool.


Burns makes a third defence of the title he won in September

last year, having stopped another Ghanaian boxer Joseph Laryea AKA Mandigo in


his last fight on March 12. Awuku has reiterated a determination to not only


avenge the defeat of compatriot Laryea, but realize a career long dream to be a


world champion.


Managed and promoted by Ghanaian syndicate Landmark


Promotions, Awuku is in camp training fervently in Accra but says he is keenly

following


events in the UK.


“I am ready to beat any of Ricky Burns or Nicky Cook even if


the fight is today, I’m ready. I’m training everyday because I want to get


better and better.


“I want the WBO to give me a fight against the winner of

this fight because I will beat them. I am more than ready to be the world


champion I have always dreamed of,” southpaw Maxwell Awuku has demanded.