Azumah Nelson, still a hero in Ghana

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 12 Jul 2004, 13:33

Found this on a Ghana website, Nelson is one of my all time favourites and it's nice to see he is still so popular in his home country.

I found it a bit strange that the writer made no mention of Ike Quartey and the talk of his come back. However like I've said before I've heard from a number of people from Ghana that Ike is not too popular in his home country.

I also found it interesting that Ghana possibly the most repected Africain 'Boxing' country in the UK, if you believe the writer is concerned about it's Boxing future.

Anyway just thought I would share this with you.

Boxing News of Friday, 09 July 2004

Professor Barima Azumah Nelson — he is the man. Learn from him Ghanaians, especially athletes.

It is not ordinary to shower praises on a living person as being done to Azumah Nelson.

No doubt, during one of the radio phone-in programmes, the man was so emotionally charged that he broke down and wept.

In the past couple of weeks, the Ghanaian media had been filled with several write-ups and radio programmes, paying glowing tributes to one man, Professor Barima Azumah Nelson, on the occasion of his induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame.

To me, Azumah Nelson is the greatest phenomenon that happened to Ghana in contemporary times, serving as a unifying force for all Ghanaians: a perfect gentleman, humble, well disciplined and, above all, patriotic and humanitarian, a very rare breed in a sport noted for its chauvinistic tendencies and 'mafia' orientation.

Every Ghanaian would agree with me that Azumah is an epitome of the above qualities, galvanized by steel determination, dedication and hard work. An achiever indeed and, no doubt, many testimonies made by noted personalities in international boxing attest to the fact that he is perhaps the greatest African boxer of all time.

Now my major concern is after Azumah has left the ring, what will be the fate of boxing in the country? It is rather unfortunate that soon after his absence Ghana cannot boast of any world-class boxer. Is it because none possesses his qualities?

In recent times we have witnessed at least five Ghanaian boxers who fought for various world titles performed abysmally and lost the ultimate.

If we consider boxing as one sport, which has brought the nation glory and placed her on the world map, then something needs to be done urgently to arrest the downhill trend.

I have to reiterate the call for young boxers aspiring to reach the ultimate in international boxing to emulate the boxing professor by imbibing all those qualities he is made of.

I know the man will not cut himself off from the sport he loves so much. He will be just ready and willing to assist any serious young boxer who approaches him for help in that matter.

As the proverb goes, “Thou lazy man, go to the ant and learn its ways . . .”

To the professor, I say please accept my congratulation on your induction into the International Boxing Hall of Fame which you so deserve. All honour to those who worked for it. Indeed, you are the man. The nation is proud of you.

neil r · Post by **neil r** » 12 Jul 2004, 14:26

Joe , there was an interesting piece in the BN a month or so back about Ghanian boxing and the attempts at reorganizing it and giving it some kind of structure. Most of the youngsters boxing in what are now Ghanian boxing leagues still look in Nelson as being the pinnacle to aim for and who can blame them!

When I was doing my nurse training i was at uni with a guy from Ghana who had a bit of interest in boxing. He once told me that in Ghana Nelson is their answer to Ali. infact he's bigger. He told me about the place called Bokum, which is actually named James Town, where 99% of Ghanian boxers come from. Sounded one scary place. No wonder they breed them so good

Goz · Post by **Goz** » 12 Jul 2004, 16:06

I work with a chap from Ghana, he went there just a couple of weeks ago and apparently Nelson was eating at my colleagues brothers restaurant.

Having already conveyed my admiration of Azumah Nelson what did my friend do for me? Get an autograph? A signed glove? A photo?

Diddly squat is what Goz got.

Git.

Maddawg · Post by **Maddawg** » 12 Jul 2004, 16:14

Cracking fighter, he had a good fight with the awesome Salvador Sanchez. I would have loved to have seen a rematch with them two.

MightyWarrior · Post by **MightyWarrior** » 12 Jul 2004, 19:39

All Hail The real Mighty Warrior!!

A true great. Yes he's an idol in Ghana - their greatest sportsman ever? Came out of nowhere to give the magnificent Sanchez his hardest fight.

Probably the greatest late sub of all time too!

stujones · Post by **stujones** » 12 Jul 2004, 19:44

I've got a mate originally from Ghana, actually lived close to Azumah and knew him very well. He is an abosulte hero out there (as popular as Ali). Its a competition between he and Adebe Pele (Early 90's footballing great) as still the most famous athlete and worshipped athlete in Ghana.

My mate said that he and his wife were absolute saints as people, would help their neighbours when in need etc.

Slapsie Maxie · Post by **Slapsie Maxie** » 13 Jul 2004, 08:23

A truly great fighter.

I always remember the KOI of Pat Cowdell. Clinical, brutal and beautiful

Slapsie

KOJOE90 · Post by **KOJOE90** » 13 Jul 2004, 12:14

bollocks wrote:When Nelson KO'd Fenech, 35,000 stunned people in the crowd that day could do nothing but applaud him. What else can you do, truly great fighter who deserves every accolade he gets. And then some more

IMO would have decimated McGuigan in 85/86

Nelsons KO of Fenech is one of my favourite fights, Nelson was pure class that night. I remember the huge outdoor Aussie crowd, I also remember at the end of the fight about 6 Ghanians in traditional Ghana colours, dancing, cheering and waving flags to celebrate thier heros victory.

I also agree that although McGuigan was a tremendous fighter Nelson would have been too much for him.

silkov · Post by **silkov** » 13 Jul 2004, 14:36

Nelson was a truely great fighter... I agree that his win ko win over Fenech was possibly his best performance. One of Nelsons great attributes was that he was very clever in the ring and able to change his style according to his opponent. The Best Featherweights I have ever seen are Nelson and Sanchez... their fight is one of my all time favourites. Its interesting to wonder what would have happened in a rematch... while Nelson got better with experience and maturity it shouldn't be forgotten that Sanchez was only 23 when he died tragically and he would I think had got even better.... had he moved up to Junior-Lightweight and Lightweight as he was planning theres no telling how great Sanchez would have been.... also he was very weight weakened against Nelson... which makes his performance quite astounding! 8)