City Rocks intensify training for upcoming tournaments

City Rocks, the Greater Accra Amateur boxing team have began extensive

camping and training for upcoming tournaments in Nigeria, Denmark, UK and

California in preparation for the national sports festival scheduled for

Kumasi in June. As the regional team which provides the national amateur

boxing side, Black Bombers, with majority of boxers, GAABA officials are

leaving nothing to chance in the bid to sweep the major laurels during the

sports festival.

The fulfillment of such lofty ambitions is the reason why GAABA officials

have secured participation in these competitions outside the country to help

their boxers gain competitive experiences, *SportsInGhana.com* understands.

First on the list of upcoming tournaments is the international boxing

friendly championship dubbed ‘Fight for gold 2011’ at the Asaba Indoor

Sports Hall Stadium, Delta State, Nigeria from March 1 to 4.

“The main focus is to prepare our boys for the national sports festival

that’s why we called them to camp early. The trip to Nigeria will be

followed by another to Denmark on the 18th March. They are doing well in

training and we hope to bring a lot of medals from Nigeria. Some of them are

also inexperienced so Nigeria will help them gain exposure before we travel

to Denmark,” Hon. Wallace Nii Tackie-Komme, GAABA 2nd Vice Chairman has told

*SportsInGhana.com* at the Attoh Quarshie Gym in Bukom where the City Rocks

are training.

The City Rocks are expected to leave the country this Sunday February 27 for

the long journey by road, hence the serious camping which began on Monday

after several weeks of the boxers training with their respective gyms. The

4-day tournament is expected to involve competitors from West African

neighbours Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Nigeria among others.

Yakubu Abdul Razak, Team Manager of the City Rocks is confident this group

of City Rocks boxers will not make just Greater Accra proud but will be

serving the nation too with the Black Bombers by this same time next year.

“They are all good boxers and have been impressive in training. I’m sure

that they will make us proud in Nigeria and also during the national sports

festival in Kumasi. But I can also confidently say that most of them will be

fighting for the Black Bombers next year,” Mr. Abdul Razak stated.

For Vincent Nettey, trainer of the Greater Accra Amateur boxing team, he has

seen enough of his boxers to be convinced that they will be the side to beat

at the ‘Fight for gold 2011’ beginning March 1. “For the Nigeria tournament,

I can tell you that we will be the best team because the boys are in top

shape, their attitude to training and mental focus are all good,” Coach

Nettey said.**

*Credit: Prince Dornu-Leiku *