Let’s invest in juvenile boxing to win more medals - Ike Quartey

Ike Quartey

Boxing legend Ike ‘Bazooka’ Quartey says Ghana can win more medals in boxing if the nation can invest in the sport from the juvenile ranks.

The former World Boxing Association (WBA) welterweight titlist noted that the nation’s abysmal performance at the Olympics had been as a result of poor preparations and neglect by successive governments.

Samuel Takyi won a featherweight bronze medal at the just-ended Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games to end Ghana’s 29-year drought at the global sporting event.

His counterparts, Sulemanu Tetteh and Shakul Samed, however, failed to make it to the medal zone after exiting at the preliminary stage.

Touching on Black Bombers’ performance, Quartey said the 20-year-old boxer’s victory should be a wake-up call for the nation to invest in juveniles if it wants to win more medals at the Paris 2024 Olympics.

“We have the talents but investing in them is the problem,” said Quartey. “If Takyi can win a bronze medal after this abysmal preparation, then the state should know that investing in boxing could bring more medals.

“During our time, we attended so many competitions and that really helped us in the professional ranks after the Olympic Games.”

Meanwhile, Takyi was decorated with his bronze medal last Thursday and is expected to return home with Team Ghana as soon as possible.