Odds favour Ankrah on Friday

Accra, Dec. 14, GNA - Hard punching Ben "Congo Soldier" Ankrah seems to have the odds favouring him as he mounts the ring to battle Bilal "Take Punch" Mohammed in the National and West Africa Lightweight championship at the Accra Ohene Djan Sports Stadium on Friday, December 17.

Dubbed the night of "Gboshann" the fights are being put together by Ambition Boxing Promotion Syndicate and there is no doubt that boxing fans will be presented with one of the best Christmas packages for the season.

The GNA Sports gathered that the night will feature a cream of the best Ghanaian boxers with the Bilal/Ankrah fight as the topmost attraction.

For Ankrah, the fight provides him an opportunity to reclaim his glory after losing out the title to Ben Neequaye in 2002 on a points decision whilst Bilal seeks for a major honour in the Division since he turned professional in 1999.

Coming into the fight with 15 fights both from the local and the Africa terrain, Ankrah who is obviously one of the best lightweight materials on the local scene seems to have a better fight record than his opponent who has had only nine fights to his credit. Out of the 15 fights, the Congo Soldier has won 12 out of which five were achieved through the short route with the three other fights going against him.

Whilst Ankrah has seen it all with the likes of former National and West Africa lightweight champion, Ben Neequaye, Kpakpo Allotey and Abdulai Amidu, Bilal is yet to taste the wrath of boxers of this calibre and this puts behind odds technically in favour of the former.

Besides these achievements, Ankrah has fought boxers from other West Africa countries like Benin, Cote d' I'voire, Togo and Burkina Faso and that also gives him enough international exposure to deal with his opponent who is yet to have such exposures.

Bilal on the other hand has experienced only one championship fight against Abraham Jafa in 2004 out of the nine fights since he begun his professional career.

The young boxer won seven of his fights through knockouts, one going the full distance with his only loss coming in 2000 and he will thus be motivated by the desire for success to go for the ultimate. This, therefore, means that any form of complacency from the camp of the hot favourite, Ankrah will spell doom for their idol as the youngster is poised for victory.

From all indications, Ankrah looks the favourite to carry the day but ruling out any calibre of boxer in the pugilist world can be disastrous, hence Bilal also stands the chance of turning the tides in his favour come this Friday.

Also on the bill are five other bouts that will see the likes of Osmanu Yahaya, Aryitey Powers and Osamanu Akaba providing boxing fans their moneys worth of excitement for the night.

Yahaya, Commonwealth Super Welterweight Champion, popularly known as "Ossie Duran" will lock horns with Wahab "Kiss Punch" Dabisi, Ex-Africa Boxing Union (ABU) champion with Osmanu "Golden Boy" Akaba, World Boxing Council (WBC) International Featherweight champion taking on Justin Savi of Benin, all in a ten round contests.

Ayittey Powers would come face to face against Mohammed Kunde (Iron Puncher) in a West Africa and national Super Middle weight Championship. Thomas Awimbono will come face to face with Aryee Ayitey in an eight round Welterweight contest with Fasiou Fatou confronting Imorano Bozo in another eight round international Super Featherweight contest to close the night.