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Algiers, Ghana impresses with two wins
in boxing
(From Richard Avornyotse, GNA Special Correspondent in
Algiers, Algeria)
Algiers, July 13, GNA – Ghana’s Black Bombers bombed their
way to two victories on the opening day of the Boxing
Championship at the 9th All Africa Games in Algiers late
Thursday night.
The Ghanaians, who are under the tutelage of Cuban coach,
Roberto Ibanez Chavez won two of their three fights in
sensational fashion to make a strong
case for medals.
Manyo Plange laundered and hoisted a sparkling Ghanaian flag
with an easy 28-9 victory over his Nigerian opponent, Dada
Jamil in the 48kg category.
The Ghanaian was so dominant that every body present at the
fight venue applauded him at the end of four rounds of
action, leaving no doubt about where
the result would go.
The mobility and attacking skills of the Ghanaian were so
refined that one wondered if it was the same Plange who was
in the ring against his bigger Nigerian foe, while he
remained very conscious of his defensive mechanism that made
him rather elusive and invisible to his opponent.
Ghana had another remarkable win in the 64kg class when
Moses Dormenyo, who had beaten the scales by three kilograms
since arriving in Algiers and was drilled to shed the excess
weight came from behind the get a 15-14 verdict against his
Togolese opponent.
Dormenyo trailed his aggressive foe from the first round and
by the third it appeared all wrapped up for the Togolese,
who had widened his lead by as many as eight points.
Then there was an explosion from the Ghanaian. As if
possessed by the ancestral spirits of Mother Ghana, Dormenyo
assumed full control of the fight as he pummelled his
opponent with a barrage of blows that tilted the scale in
his favour.
An elated coach Chavez praised Dormenyo for his recovery,
saying, 'he did not want to lose, he didn’t give up, he
wanted to win and he won; that is good
attitude.'
The coach however blamed Samuel Kotey for not fighting well
in his loss to his Ugandan opponent.
He described Kotey as 'not serious, did not fight well,'
adding that his opponent was not extraordinary but had a
better attitude.
Kotey was the only blemish on the Ghanaian performance as he
allowed the Ugandan to ran away with a 14-12 verdict in a
fight that was not at all difficult for the Ghanaian.
Ghana's next fights involve Fred Lawson who will slug it out
with an opponent from Guinea in the 57kg weight division ,
while Awusoni Yekini meet a Cameroonian opponent on the same
bill.
It will be the turn of Issa Samir on Saturday when he takes
on Cameroon's champion in the 54kg class.
Coach Chavez and his assistant, Ofori Asare are confident
the boxing team would not disappoint.
Ghana won only a bronze at the 8th All Africa Games held in
Abuja, Nigeria in 2003.
GNA
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