The quest by former Ghanaian professional boxer, Emmanuel Addotei Addo alias Money Mosquito to identify and develop talents in the sport begins this Friday, January 20 when his TMM Promotions stage an amateur boxing tournament in Accra with his US based partners in attendance.
One of the partners, Devonne Canady, a former US amateur heavyweight champion and head of EIR Urban Youth and Boss Lady Promotions based in New Haven, Connecticut landed in Accra on Monday morning whilst two other partners are also expected to arrive in the country in time for the fight show on Friday.
Scheduled for Zamil (Old Kingsway) behind Ussher Fort beginning 6pm, a total of twelve bouts are expected to whet the appetite of fight fans as well as impress the foreign partners. There will be nine amateur bouts in all weight categories, two female fights and one juvenile exhibition with the best selected to form a team that will be sponsored and trained by TMM Promotions to training tours of Europe and America aimed at honing their skills to become successful professional boxers.
“Amateur is the light of pro, if you have great amateur fighters you know that in future when they turn pro you can have world champions,” Emmanuel Addo explained.
“My hope is to build the spirit of amateur boxers that we have in the country so my partners are coming to see and we discuss further how we can collaborate to make it a success. We plan to select the best from this tournament and prepare them for a training tour in Sweden and Austria in March among many other plans,” the TMM Promotions boss said.
Devonne Canady never fought professional but won two world championships as an amateur boxer, also won the heavyweight gold medal at the first women’s world games in 2001 and a bronze in the second world games in 2002 sanctioned by United States Boxing Authority.
Now she wants to support her Ghanaian partner to open more opportunities for success in the ring for Ghanaian boxers with women fighters especially among her priorities.
“I know Ghanaians have excellent boxing ability, I have read a little bit on some of the history, I’ve watched a lot of boxers and I am a big fan of Richie Commey. He has tremendous heart and I think it cuts aboard from boxers from this area,” Devonne Canady told journalists on arrival at the Kotoka International Airport.
“So I’m first of all expecting a huge turnout on Friday because it’s also my birthday, so I’m going to celebrate my birthday with you guys. I am also expecting to see the skills up close and personal because I’ve seen a lot of videos of good boxers including 10 year olds and I can’t wait to see them fight for myself,” the Boss Lady Promotions CEO said.
She added: “I am here to also meet Helen Joseph, I know she is Nigerian but she lives and trains in Ghana. She is very good and we will see how best we can help her rise to the top.”
