Alfred Kotey R. I. P

[Old bones Ian]

Just read a report former WBO Bantamweight Champion Alfred Kotey has died.
Kotey looked a classy box puncher when he won the title and defended it twice here in the UK. Including a hard stoppage of Drew Docherty.
After losing his title to Daniel Jimenez also in the UK, Kotey then became a win some lose some, always going the distance against up and coming contenders and future champions.

[THEBUTCH]

That's a shame to hear that news.

Kotey was a cracking little fighter. Very solid skills and as tough as you would expect from a boxer hailing from Accra.

I remember watching him defeat Danny Porter. Porter had to really tough it out to see the final bell.

Just look at the world class names on his record.

RIP

[bennie]

I always liked Kotey because he was aggressive, relentless and incredibly tough. The globetrotting Ghanaian, after a fine spell in the States, linked up with ex-referee Mike Jacobs in this country and trounced Puerto Rico's Rafael Del Valle at York Hall in July 1994 for the WBO bantamweight title. It was a big win. The previously unbeaten Del Valle had blitzed Duke McKenzie to lift the belt but Kotey decked him early and kept on the pressure to win unanimously on the cards. He did much the same against Mexico's horribly durable Armando Castro in defence of his title three months later, punching out a brutal landslide decision, and then destroyed Drew Docherty in another defence.
Clearly, Kotey was expected to beat Daniel Jiminez in his third defence in October 1995 (just days after James Murray had lost his life in a British title encounter) and he dropped Jiminez with a brutal body shot in the second round. However, the canny Jiminez beat the count and did a magnificent job of avoiding Kotey's attempts to land another body shot in the round and slowly but surely, Jiminez pulled away en route to a close but unanimous decision.
Kotey shrugged it off and outscored Freddy Cruz in a close 12-rounder at super-bantamweight two months later at York Hall (referee Larry O'Connell slipped over at one point and both fighters went to a neutral corner) before making his way back to the States, moving through the divisions and mixing it with some of the best. His death in the Bronx in New York at just 52 is quite a shock.

[Old bones Ian]

2 comments on a classy former champion dying, and 24 pages of comments on 2 fat 50 year olds gobbing off at each other.

Rather sad

[dookus]

RIP champ.

[Coco]

2 comments on a classy former champion dying, and 24 pages of comments on 2 fat 50 year olds gobbing off at each other.

Rather sad

Well said, but then at least most of the comments on the 50yr olds are mocking them.

[THEBUTCH]

Watching that fight again I have to say what gutsy effort it was from Docherty. Outgunned by Kotey but gave it everything he had.