BoxRec

Just noticed on his record that the location for a few of his fights is "Prison's Canteen, Accra, Ghana".

Interested to know if there's any other examples of fights (and by that I mean professional fights!) in prison canteens? I can imagine there being a few people with some tales to tell but surely this is even too out of the ordinary for even this forum?

I think its a venue and complex, as i've seen this s few times down for boxers from Ghana, i know a few amatuer teams from the UK have boxed there when on a trip.

As you may know pro boxing has taken place in Prisons before, probably the best known was James Scott, he was a rated lightheavy contender in the 70's. Scott had 11 fights behinds bars all at Rahway, beating some good boxers Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Ritchie Kates , Bunny Johnson, Yaqui Lopez. He lost an upset to Jerry Martin, and his final fight against Dwight Muhammad Qawi. I'm sure that Qawi had served time in Rahway as well.
Scott claims he had taken a fight with John Conteh for $100,000 in 1975, then 2 days before it was going to be annouced he was arrested for murder and robbery in which $400 was stolen.

In America some states allow prison boxing matches, I don't think any in the Uk do boxing training anymore.

Ive heard of a lot of pros going to prisons and sparring while they watch and the odd prisoner being given the chance to spar with a pro

damianhucker1 wrote:Ive heard of a lot of pros going to prisons and sparring while they watch and the odd prisoner being given the chance to spar with a pro

there used to be proper programs at UK prisons, but i know it was discontinued at alot , but it may still go on at certain ones. Guess it depends on who's running it.

Old bones Ian wrote:I think its a venue and complex, as i've seen this s few times down for boxers from Ghana, i know a few amatuer teams from the UK have boxed there when on a trip.

As you may know pro boxing has taken place in Prisons before, probably the best known was James Scott, he was a rated lightheavy contender in the 70's. Scott had 11 fights behinds bars all at Rahway, beating some good boxers Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Ritchie Kates , Bunny Johnson, Yaqui Lopez. He lost an upset to Jerry Martin, and his final fight against Dwight Muhammad Qawi. I'm sure that Qawi had served time in Rahway as well.
Scott claims he had taken a fight with John Conteh for $100,000 in 1975, then 2 days before it was going to be annouced he was arrested for murder and robbery in which $400 was stolen.

In America some states allow prison boxing matches, I don't think any in the Uk do boxing training anymore.

I've been educated, thanks Ian!

His fight in 2009 with Gerry Cudjoe seems interesting enough.

declared no contest as both boxers fail to live up to expectation & the fight was not competitive :

Marlon Starling was involved in a ring death early in his career, it was against a serving prisoner Charles Newell, the fight itself took place outside of the prison at Hartford, Connecticut. But at the time the boxing program in the prison systems allowed some prisoners to pursue a pro career. Sadly for Newell its cost him dearly.

Old bones Ian wrote:I think its a venue and complex, as i've seen this s few times down for boxers from Ghana, i know a few amatuer teams from the UK have boxed there when on a trip..

My Nephew has fought there against a Prison Warren....

Old bones Ian wrote:I think its a venue and complex, as i've seen this s few times down for boxers from Ghana, i know a few amatuer teams from the UK have boxed there when on a trip.

As you may know pro boxing has taken place in Prisons before, probably the best known was James Scott, he was a rated lightheavy contender in the 70's. Scott had 11 fights behinds bars all at Rahway, beating some good boxers Eddie Mustafa Muhammad, Ritchie Kates , Bunny Johnson, Yaqui Lopez. He lost an upset to Jerry Martin, and his final fight against Dwight Muhammad Qawi. I'm sure that Qawi had served time in Rahway as well.
Scott claims he had taken a fight with John Conteh for $100,000 in 1975, then 2 days before it was going to be annouced he was arrested for murder and robbery in which $400 was stolen.

In America some states allow prison boxing matches, I don't think any in the Uk do boxing training anymore.

Great tale. I seem to recall Hugh McIvanney writing about this once.