Coach Asare blames Mensah's defeat on change of management

Coach Ofori Asare, former trainer of Raphael Mensah, has said the boxer's failed attempt at annexing the World Boxing Association (WBA) Super Featherweight title, last Saturday, when he lost to Alberto Machado, was due to the sudden change of management on the part of the boxer.

He said it was very difficult for a boxer to win a bout of that magnitude, when he decides to change his management, coaches and entire camp, weeks to the "big fight", for another camp, adding that Mensah had himself to blame.

"Mensah had only himself to blame for the defeat, after he ditched his camp (Land Mark Promotions), had worked with for eight years, for the United States of America (USA) based Don King Promotions, few days before the bout," coach Asare told the GNA Sports in an interview.

He said the boxer was obviously not well psyched up for the fight following his sudden decision to change management, ahead of the fight.

Mensah lost an opportunity to win the WBA title last Sataurday, after he was handed a 12 round unanimous defeat by his Puerto Rican opponent, with all the three judges scoring it 120-107 against him.

According to coach Asare, there were different stages and types of preparation a boxer had to do go through, before such a big fight and Mensah, failed to prepare for one of the most important ones, apart from the physical one and that was the psychological preparation.

“When a boxer has been with a certain camp for the number of years, his coaches and managers have a way of life, a custom, a training method that best suits him but Mensah swapped all these for a new camp and coach, that is why he lost,” he said.

He said Raphael Mensah was a great boxer and still had the potential to come back from that defeat, but he would have to reunite with his old camp and his trainers that helped him get to the number one spot, which provided him the opportunity to fight for the world title.

Coach Asare called on the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) to play an intermediary role in making sure Raphael Mensah and is former camp, settle their differences and get back to winning ways, adding that; “this should be an example to other upcoming boxers, to not ditch their camps for others on the words and promises of people he labelled ‘users’

Coach Asare trained Raphael Mensah from the Amateur level to the professional level, where he left the boxer to another trainer.