Father and trainer of WBO Super Bantamweight champion, Isaac Dogbe, Paul, has given the clearest indication yet that the much talked-about fight between his son and former IBO Lightweight champion Emmanuel Tagoe, will happen sooner than later.
Tension has been brewing between the two boxers for a while now and sometime last year a match-up between the two was proposed despite the weight difference between the boxers.
At the height of the war-of words between the camp of both boxers, Baby Jet Promotions, owned by Black Stars captain Asamoah Gyan said he was going to offer $100,000 for a purse for the fight to happen, and claimed that he expected the camp of Dogboe to do same, bringing the total fight purse to $200,000.
Both camps agreed on a winner takes all bout.
The sticking point for many boxing watchers is this: both boxers are not in the same weight division (Dogboe is a super bantamweight while Tagoe is a lightweight) and it could be dangerous for both to fight at catchweight.
Speaking at the pre-bout press conference of the Dogboe vs Otake bout, Paul Dogboe who is the father and trainer of Isaac Dogboe said “Baba Jet Promotions is doing a good job in Ghana boxing and I believe they have a couple of guys on their label.
When you watch their last show, it was a hell of a show, it was live on television and I loved it. We are all fighting towards one goal which is to bring Ghana boxing back to its glory days. But regarding Asamoah Gyn’s boxer fighting Isaac Dogboe, that is about four weight divisions because Isaac is Super Bantamweight. Last night I called the WBO guys and my friends in America and I told them that there are two fights in Ghana that I would like to put my son in, and one is that fight (against Tagoe). I can assure you, I can promise you that when that day comes, you will know where we are coming from.”
The fight between Dogboe and Tagoe is one many will love to see and definitely has the potential to pull a record crowd to the Bukom Boxing Arena.
For now though, Isaac Dogboe hopes to make a successful first defence of his WBO Super Bantamweight belt when he takes on 37-year-old Japanese Hidenori Otake, the at the Gila River Arena in Glendale, Arizona.
Speaking at a pre-bout press conference held at the Kempinski Hotel in Accra last Friday, August 3, 2018, the 23-year-old boxer assured Ghanaians of victory and promised them of a knockout should the opportunity avail itself in the course of his 12 round bout with Otake.
Dogboe whiles acknowledging the strength and impressive records of his opponent maintains that he’s got enough weapons in his arsenal to overcome him.
The Royal Storm, who has clearly done his research on his opponent, pointed out some of the strengths of Otake but kept his plans of neutralizing those threats to his chest.
“Otake is gonna come out strong. I know he is a strong guy and he’s gonna come out determined come August 23. All we have to do is to just keep focus and keep to the game plan. Our game plans is to sell this fight. Most at times I go in there for the kill but now we are thinking of having more fun. I want to tell all Ghanaians to pray and support me”.
“When the knockout presents itself we are going to take it but we are not going out there to chase it. We are going out there to enjoy the fight and let everything according to the plans that God has set for us. The knockout is good but we are planning to give the fans exciting fight”, he concluded.
Otake, 37, is from Tokyo, Japan and he has a fight record of 36 bouts with 31 victories, 2 draws and 3 losses. He has not lost a bout since 2015, putting together 9 wins between then and now.
Dogboe won the belt from Jessie Magdelano in April and has a record of 19 victories from 19 fights with 13 being knockouts.
