WITH all domestic bouts suspended and a new Interim Management Committee in place, British-Ghanaian manager Michael Amoo-Bediako offers Boxing News an inside perspective on the reforms, the controversy, and the future of boxing in Ghana.
Last week, when the Ghanaian government announced the suspension of all domestic boxing and the installation of an Interim Management Committee (IMC) to oversee reforms, British-Ghanaian manager Michael Amoo-Bediako knew he had to seek answers.
Amoo-Bediako, who manages three Ghanaian professional boxers, including Olympic bronze medallist Samuel Takyi, took the time over the weekend to fill in Boxing News on the latest developments, including the content of meetings and conversations he has had with various officials in Ghana.
“I told the Director General of the NSA [National Sports Authority] that the suspension is damaging the credibility and integrity of boxing in Ghana without clear reasoning,” Amoo-Bediako explained. “I’ve spent years working with fighters who see boxing as their livelihood, and to suddenly put the sport on hold without proper communication risks undoing the progress we’ve made.”
The answer he received was – Amoo-Bediako admits – reassuring. “He insisted that this wasn’t about the GBA doing anything wrong, and that stuck with me. It shows this is less about blame and more about control and structure. He told me there are protocols that need to be implemented, and with the previous [GBA] president resigning, this was a good moment for a reset. But I still wonder if suspending all activities is really the best way to achieve that.”
Amoo-Bediako also met Ghana’s Sports Minister, Rt Hon Kofi Iddie Adams, while he was in London last week. “It was a very positive and constructive discussion,” Amoo-Bediako said. “He clearly understands how boxing is run and has a vision for taking the sport to the next level. He explained that the IMC is not a replacement for the GBA but has been tasked with making sure reforms are put in place. He stressed that this is about building a solid foundation for the sport’s future.”
The Minister, he said, was also careful to separate the suspension from the recent death of professional boxer Ernest Akushey. “I asked him directly if this was linked to Ernest’s death, and he told me definitely not,” Amoo-Bediako said. “He said this development had been under consideration for some time, and what he really wants is to resolve underlying issues and implement new ideas that will give Ghanaian boxing a proper structure going forward. That reassurance matters, but the uncertainty remains.”
Amoo-Bediako’s conversations highlight the tension at the heart of Ghanaian boxing today – namely, how to balance reform and safety with the independence of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA).
Fifty years after David ‘D.K. Poison’ Kotei became Ghana’s first professional world champion in 1975, the sport now faces an unexpected pause. The Committee for Professional Boxing Stakeholders (CPBS) – a coalition including the Professional Boxers Association of Ghana, coaches, promoters, managers, and officials – has opposed the NSA’s decision.
In a press release last week, the CPBS described the move as “irrational and unlawful,” warning that only the GBA’s congress has the power to elect or remove board members. “The decision of the NSA is a complete overthrow of the GBA constitution and for that matter cannot be countenanced by us,” the CPBS argued. While acknowledging the need for reforms, they insist such changes must occur collaboratively.
In contrast, the government frames the IMC as a stabilising measure. Sports Minister Kofi Adams said: “We cannot keep doing things the same way and expect different results… No individual is bigger than Ghana boxing; it is a national treasure that must be preserved.”
Chaired by former GBA President Samir Captan, the IMC has 90 days – extendable by 30 more – to carry out reforms recommended by a ministerial inquiry. It has heavyweight backing: Hall of Fame former world featherweight champion Azumah Nelson is serving as vice-chairman and technical advisor, alongside Brig Gen Ishmael Ben Quartey (Rtd), neurosurgeon Dr Hadi Mohammed Abdullah, trainer Dr Ofori Asare, and other respected figures. Their mandate is to strengthen medical protocols, improve governance, and prepare for new democratic elections at the GBA.
In its first directive, the IMC clarified that Ghanaian boxers can still compete abroad if they pass strict medical checks and secure clearance. This exemption offers relief for fighters based abroad, like Samuel Takyi, while domestic activity remains frozen.
For Amoo-Bediako, these developments underline the stakes for Ghanaian fighters: “There is no doubt that reforms are needed, but we cannot lose sight of the boxers themselves. Their livelihoods depend on regular activity and trust in the system. Everyone I’ve spoken to agrees that Ghana has the talent and history to produce world champions again – we just need a stable platform to build from.”
Yet he also sees the current crisis as an opportunity. “Whatever the outcome, this can only be good for Ghanaian boxing. It’s a chance for a reset, for all the different factions in the community to air their views and, as a collective, put in place a solid structure for the future of the sport – with a strong GBA at the helm, aided by all of us doing our part to put Ghana back on top of the boxing landscape in Africa and on a level playing field with the rest of the world.”
Amoo-Bediako’s optimism rests on a desire to see Ghanaian boxing move forward in a spirit of cooperation: “I am trusting the Sports Minister, the GBA, the IMC, the NSA and the CPBS to work together to resolve all these issues as quickly as possible so that the suspension is lifted and we can return to putting boxing in Ghana at the heart of sport in the country.”
