Born in Bukom into a boxing family, Ike Quartey has grown to be a role model to the next generation of boxers in his hometown.
Nicknamed Bazooka by his then trainer Yoofi Boham, Quartey began his professional career with a 2nd-round knockout of Mama Mohamed at a tender age of 19.
He went on to fight 42 times, won 37 and lost 4 in a career that was inundated by hiatus and tittle wins which saw him defending the WBA welterweight title 7 times and in all, he disclosed that before each of the fight, he prays to comeback fit.
“When you are mentally, spiritually fit and you ask the lord to bring you back – you have to ready in the ring,” he said on Joy Prime.
In 1999 after Quartey’s controversial fight against Oscar De La Hoya in Nevada, he fixed a gold teeth with his name on it.
After an envious boxing career in the bout which lasted over a decade, Ike Quartey can now be found in his base in Accra where he is living a quiet life.
For someone who was a successful boxer and arguably one of the greatest to have graced the African continent, Quartey is not looking forward to have his kids follow his footsteps due to their begining.
“I was born and raised in Bukom, that was why I was tough but for them they are tough with their books.
“You have to be radical to be a good boxer,” he said.
With his legendary status, fans still mobs into him to request for a picture with him and one nearly landed him into a trouble.
His recent picture which he explains was edited raised conversations that he was into drugs and living a poor life
He however denied them.
“I decided to keep my hair like this, I have been a rastafarian before and now this – are people saying if you keep your hair like this, you are on drugs? it’s defamation of character and the person who brought it up has to face the law.
Ike Quartey is still chasing of getting his people an ultramodern hospital despite the challenges he has faced, he has been able to put up the edifice to a certain level and is looking for investors to help complete it.
He made known that after the hospital which is a long dream, he will set up a boxing gym in Bukom to keep the dream of the young boxers in the area going.
“A lot of people from Bukom who admire me come to me to learn how to box, that is why I have decided to set up a boxing gym after my hospital project,” he concluded on Joy Prime.
Ike Bazooka Quartey’s legacy lives forever, he is that man who made a name for himself from Bukom and has a found a way of giving back to his people through series of projects.
3news.com
Read Full Story
Facebook
Twitter
Pinterest
Instagram
Google+
YouTube
LinkedIn
RSS