Accra, May 24, GNA - Newly crowned World Boxing Organisation (WBO) Super Bantamweight champion Isaac Zion Kojo Dogboe, on Friday received commendation from Ghana’s parliament, with calls for the Government to strengthen amateur boxing.
“Isaac Zion Dogboe is the latest to project Ghana to the world by winning the WBO Super Bantamweight title in Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, United States.
“He defeated Jesse Magdaleno from the United States of America (USA) in the 11th round in steely display. A display that one can describe as purely hungry-for success despite being knocked down in the first round, he stood up and with hard work and perseverance sent down his opponent three times before he was save by the referee,” Mr Kobena Mensah Woyome, MP for South Tongu, said in a statement on the floor of the House.
Mr Woyome, who is also the Ranking Member on Youth, Sports and Culture, said, “on behalf of the Speaker of Parliament and Parliament, I would also like to take this opportunity to congratulate Isaac for the victory. This victory would go a long way to ensure that the dream of every Ghanaian to see boxing once again taking the center stage of our sporting activities.
“Keep climbing the ladder of success and the sky will be your limit. We are here to support you each step on the way. We say Ayekoo Isaac Dogboe.”
The MP used the opportunity to call on the Government and all stakeholders, including the Youth, Sports and Culture Committee, to as a matter of urgency to strengthen amateur boxing to take care of the youth who are showing interest in the sport.
Mr Woyome explained that Ghana has been blessed with exceptionally talented crop of youngsters ready to die for the nation through boxing, and therefore urged the officialdom and the technical men of the National Sports Authority to continue to nurture the youngsters and keep faith with them.
He said with hard work, dedication, resilience and further honing of their skills and tactics, Ghana would produce more title holders.
In a contribution to the statement, Mr Isaac Kwame Asiamah, the Minister for Youth and Sports declared, “we are proud of him and hope he’ll keep the title.”
The Minister said there is abundance of talents in sports in Ghana, and the focus of the Ministry is to use sports for job creation.
Mr Asiamah said the Ministry has commenced the construction of regional centres of excellence at the regional capitals across Ghana to nurture talents so that there would be more champions.
“Medals don’t just happen. It requires real long term planning,” he said.
Other contributions suggested the need to have dedicated funding for sports development and more encouragement to the youth to unearth more talents.
GNA
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