Tagoe's WBO Africa Title Defense Rescheduled To February 23

A last minute injury to Ghana’s Emmanuel ‘Game Boy’ Tagoe has forced the rescheduling of his WBO Africa and IBF lightweight title fight from January 26 to February 23.

Tagoe, a former IBO champion, sustained a last-minute training injury to his right hand at The Gym in Accra forcing the change of date.

Confirming to Joy Sports, Abraham Kotei Neequaye, Tagoe’s Manager said the boxer had been given strict instructions to rest and heal over a 10-day period.

“Tagoe was insisting he wanted to train with the injury and honour the fight but was prevented by his doctor. According to the doctor, 10 days will be a good time for the boxer to recover and get back on his feet. He is supposed to rest his hand from all form of physical activity as well.”

Tagoe was originally scheduled to fight Russia’s Vyacheslav Gusev for the WBO Africa and IBF International titles at the Bukom Boxing Arena on Saturday, January 26.

“Gusev and his team, as well as all officials of the World Boxing Organization and International Boxing Federation, were already in Accra and good to go for the big night. “As the situation stands we are working on securing new flight arrangements so they could return home,” Mr Kotei Neequaye added.

Tagoe is undergoing treatment and is expected to be ready for the big bout on February 23. Tagoe is a former IBO lightweight champion – a title he won after defeating South Africa’s Mzonke Fana in December 2016. The Ghanaian boxer was stripped of the IBO title in June 2018 after failing to defend it against Fedor Papazov. The 30-year-old boxer has since annexed the WBO Africa lightweight title

Vyacheslav is a former European champion at lightweight. He has won 25 times and lost five times.