Akaba defends his title against South African opponent

Accra, Sept. 23, GNA - Ghana's Osmanu Akaba will next Friday, September 30, mount the ring in South Africa to defend his World Boxing Council (WBC) International Featherweight title against Jefrey Mathebula of South Africa.

The fight is the first since Akaba won the title last year against his fellow Ghanaian opponent, Malik Jabir when he knocked him out in the sixth round.

Akaba is expected to leave the country in the company of his trainer and officials early next week to begin preparations towards his title defence.

The Ghanaian would also seek to redeem the image of the nation after the defeat of his compatriot Philip Kotey by another South African opponent last month.

Akaba, who boasts of 19 fights made up of a draw and a loss with 13 of the fights ending through the short route and three travelling the full distance, would be out to maintain his impressive career after turning a professional in 2000.

Information gathered by the GNA Sports from the camp of the boxer revealed that Akaba is in high spirits for the fight and indications are that he is capable of defending his title successfully. In a related development, Joshua Okine will take a second shot of the defence of his Commonwealth Welterweight title against Kevin Anderson on the same night in Kirckland, Scotland.

Okine in his last defence fight since annexing the title from Nigerian Fatau Onikeke, was against David Barnes of Britain in Manchester early this year.

The Ghanaian will be going into the fight with a record of 19 fights, with 12 going through the way of knock-outs. Six of his fights travelled the full distance with a defeat and draw each.

The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) has meanwhile extended goodwill messages to the boxers as they step out to lift the flag of the nation high on the international level.