THE Ghana Amateur Boxing Association (GABA) has started registering amateur boxers in the country in order to keep record of their history and progress in the sport.
The registration exercise, which has started in the Greater Accra Region on pilot basis, is intended to provide the association with a record of the development of the boxers by way of fight records, type of opposition faced, rise in weight, etc to enable GABA monitor the progress of the boxers.
GABA boss, Mr Eddie Duplan announced this last Friday at the inauguration of Akror Boxing club in Teshie. The Akror Boxing club h as been provided from the sole initiative of a few personalities in Teshie whose aim is to tap raw boxing talents from Teshie and its environs into world class professional fighters.
Mr Duplan said GABA is very much impressed by the creation of the boxing club which will not only provide Teshie with pontential world champions but will benefit the entire nation.
He called on other communities to emulate the effort of the people of Teshie by initiating such projects, which has the potential of providing employment to the youth around the area.
He said with the club now formed, the executives should seek sponsorship from relevent bodies to keep the club running since "we cannot depoend on government for everything".The club has a new boxing ring acquired from their own resorces from where members of the club will train.
Mr Duplan advised members not to rest on their achievements but to strive hard to produce Black Bombers to underline the seriousness of thier efforts. Hon Joe Aggrey, Deputy Minister of Youth and Sports, expressed the hope that the club rises up to produce world champions from Teshie to challenge the authority of Bukom as the cradle of boxing in the country.
He said although Ghana has emerged from the Commonwealth Games as the second best in boxing on two different occasions, the story has sadly changed.He, therefore challenged the club to produce great boxers to achieve laurels for the country.
The MP for Ledzokuku, Hon. Eddie Akita who performed the official inaugural ceremony, advised that the the facilities at the gym be kept properly to last longer. A 10-member executive was sworn into office. An apppeal for funds yielded over ?8million.
