Kumasi erupts with joy as Jantuah whips Ricardo Manuel

Kumasi, Aug 17, GNA - Boxing fans in the Kumasi Metropolis on Saturday night went into a frenzy with excitement soon after United States (US)-based Ghanaian pugilist, Kofi Jantuah had pummeled his Argentine opponent, Ricardo Manuel Henaro, to record a fourth round technical knockout win in their International Middleweight contest at the Baba Yara Sports Stadium, Kumasi.

Jantuah, known as "The Pride of Ashanti", showed no mercy for his opponent as he turned the heat on the Argentine with some accurate left and right hooks in the fourth round of their 10-round contest that saw the Argentine bleeding profusely from his nose and mouth.

Henaro's corner, sensing danger, had no option than to throw in the towel to save their ward from further punishment from the Ghanaian to send the partisan fans of Jantuah who could not control themselves at the feat besieged the ring and carried the champion shoulder high amidst singing and brass band music.

The contest was the first to be staged by Jantuah in front of his home fans after shifting camp to the United States about a decade ago.

The fight commenced on a slow pace with the two boxers been cautious and adopted hit and run tactics but it was Ricardo who used his left jabs to advantage in the latter parts of the opening round.

In the second round, Jantuah became aggressive and started throwing a combination of punches but the slippery and nimble-footed Argentine managed to sustain the pressure with his artistic body swerves that warded off the occasional upper cuts of Jantuah.

Ricardo surprisingly abandoned his defensive tactics in the third round and traded hefty punches with his Ghanaian counterpart with the intention of recording a technical knockout but his plan failed to materialize as he was rather out pointed and thus forced to return to his defensive tactics.

The fourth round begun on a vigorous note with the two boxers broiled in the centre of the ring where they engaged each other in fisticuffs to the admiration of the thick crowd.

It was, however, Jantuah who emerged as the victor as he combined with good jabs, upper cuts and straight right punches that left his opponent bleeding profusely until his corner threw in the towel when the fight was barely after two minutes in the round.

Some of the dignitaries who graced the occasion included Mr Emmanuel Owusu-Ansah, Ashanti Regional Minister, Ike "Bazooka" Quartey, former WBA Welterweight champion, Joshua Clottey, IBF welterweight champion and Joseph "King Kong" Agbeko, IBF Bantamweight champion as well as Mr Moses Foh-Amoaning, Chairman of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) and Tony Yeboah, former Black Stars' goal poacher.

In the other supporting bouts, Lante Addy of Attoh Quarshie Gym of Accra defeated Alfred Quaye of Billy Kotey Gym also of Accra in the second round in their bantamweight contest whiles Benjamin "Dirty Punch" Tutu of B.B Boxing Club of Kumasi beat Kumah Doe of Sagacious Gym of Accra in the second round of their featherweight contest.

In the super lightweight fray, Prince Doku of Believers Gym recorded a fourth round knockout win over John "Red Destroyers" Larbi of Sonix Gym.