Sports
‘Resurrection Fight Night’ at Laboma Beach Resort April 5
The Laboma Beach Resort in Accra will be full of fireworks on April 5 when RBS Promotions and Box Office Promotions stage an international boxing event dubbed the ‘Resurrection Fight Night’ in Accra.
The event is set to feature top local and international boxers in what organisers described as a major platform to promote Ghana boxing on the global stage.
At the launch of the event last Friday, organisers outlined an exciting bill headlined by a 10-round national light heavyweight championship bout between Jonathan Tetteh and Abdul Aziz Quartey.
Other notable bouts included an eight-round lightweight contest between Alfred Lamptey and Maxwell Awuku, and another eight-round light heavyweight clash between Seth Gyimah of Ghana and Jamiu Animashaun of Nigeria.
Joseph Commey will face Bright Ayala in an eight-round lightweight contest, while Michael Abban takes on Benin’s Damien Zannou in a 10-round super flyweight fight.
Additional bouts will see Benjamin Lamptey battle Kamarudeen Boyefio in a six-round featherweight contest, while Clinton Nii Adjei is expected to feature in an eight-round cruiserweight contest against an opponent yet to be announced.
Speaking at the launch, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of RBS Promotions, Dr Albert Tetteh Botchway, said the initiative formed part of efforts to nurture young boxing talents and position Ghana as a hub for international boxing.
He said the organisers were committed to producing a world champion for Ghana by 2028, stressing that it did not matter which camp the boxer would emerge from.
Dr Botchway urged unity among stakeholders in the boxing fraternity, including promoters, managers and trainers, to ensure the success of the event and the growth of the sport.
The Acting Teshie Mantse and Atofotse, Nii Martey Dzata Obrempong I, also appealed to boxers to remain disciplined and focused, noting that the event was organised in their interest to help them achieve their career aspirations.
He emphasised that boxing was a serious sport that required commitment and support from all stakeholders, adding that the event was not just a local contest but an international spectacle.
The CEO of Box Office Promotions, Mr Alex Ntiamoah, in his address described the event as more than a fight night, stating that it was a platform that blended sport, culture and business.
He said the initiative would create opportunities for fighters, brands and investors, while positioning Ghana as a destination for world class sporting entertainment.
Mr Ntiamoah further announced a series of pre-fight activities, including public appearances, workouts and a final press conference ahead of the main event.
According to him, a public workout session is scheduled for April 2, with the official weigh-in set for April 4, all at the same venue.
By Stephanie Birikorang
Ghana Premier League side, Nations FC, may have suffered the drop in the just ended Premier League and are destined for a fresh campaign in the Division One League (DOL).
But they stand a huge chance of remaining in the elite stage of the game as they face Dreams FC in an epic MTN FA Cup final at the University of Ghana Sports Stadium tomorrow at 6pm.
Dreams FC have been there before; going ahead to taste the honours in the 2022-23 season after defeating King Faisal.
Coming from a season that saw them crawl from the initial stages of the league to finish on a respectable fourth position, they come in as strong favourites to double their honours in the nation’s second top football competition.
History favours them in this regard. On their first final, they conquered and based on this, connoisseurs of the game have tipped them to make it ‘two-on-two.’
But Nations FC have been empowered by the age-old adage that “He that is down need fear no fall.”
Nothing can be worse than suffering relegation and exiting the limelight as far as exposure is concerned.
But the FA offers a decent opportunity to make them stay relevant.
Conquering Dreams FC would not just make them MTN FA Cup champions. It will grant them the prestigious slot to represent Ghana in the Confederation of African Football (CAF) second tier club competition- the Confederations Cup.
With Dreams FC harbouring the same ambitions, the stage is, therefore, set for a final that promises to be explosive and uncompromising.
The situation of Nations FC might have come to many as a surprise, considering their promising start to the season, with their defence especially, marshalled by Black Stars defender, Razak Simpson, and colleague central defender, Raymond Grippman, earning a lot of reviews.
But despite the struggles they endured at certain times of their campaign, the MTN FA Cup always provided slices of good fortunes as they managed to navigate their way to the final.
Road to the top
Nations FC began the MTN FA Cup competition on a promising note, enjoying some good runs with a win over DOL Zone Two side, Ebony FC, in the Round of 64.
That landed them in a tricky encounter with another high-flying Zone Two candidate, AshantiGold SC, a side that eventually won the title from the zone to qualify to the Premier League, but escaped.
At the round of 16 stage, they encountered and defeated Ghana Premier League side, Swedru All Blacks, 2-1 to gain progression to the quarter final stage where they edged Berekum Chelsea on penalties.
A dicey semi-final awaited them against Aduana FC in Swedru. It was a game Nations was given little chance to escape considering Aduana FC’s form but once again, they conquered to secure a final berth.
In total, the Abrankese-based club have scored eight goals and conceded only two throughout the competition, making them one of the strongest defensive sides in the tournament.
For Dreams FC, they defeated Division One League Zone Three side, Semper Fi, 2-1 to progress to the next stage of the competition where they accounted for Division Two side, Asanska FC, 2-0.
That handed them a quarterfinal berth where they faced Inter Allies and drew one all before winning 4-3 on penalties.
The happiest moment in their success story was a 3-2 semi-final win over GPL winners, Medeama SC.
With that feat, Dreams have been touted as potential winners as the match comes at a time the Nations FC side may be psychologically down over the weight of the challenge they face in the next season.
However, the competition has gain notoriety for not following any form guide and outcomes mostly coming as major surprises.
In this regard, Dreams may be tipped as favourite candidates but though Nations are wounded, the stakes could revive an insatiable desire to apply the brakes to turn the dreams of Dreams FC into a nightmare.
Support
The support from MTN Ghana has no doubt improved competition among the clubs with the attractive incentive packages for participating clubs.
MTN Ghana, which is celebrating 30 years of operations in Ghana, formally became headline sponsors of the Ghana FA Cup in the 2010/2011 football season after the competition had returned from an eight-year hiatus.
The first edition under MTN sponsorship was won by Nania FC, who defeated Asante Kotoko 1–0 in the final at the Accra Sports Stadium.
Since then, the competition has been known as the MTN FA Cup, with MTN renewing its sponsorship several times — in 2013, 2017, 2020 and again for subsequent seasons.
By Andrew Nortey
The Black Stars have opened camp in Cardiff ahead of next week’s international friendly against Wales.
The team is being taken through training drills by head coach Carlos Queiroz.
Thirteen players trained at Dragon Park on Monday, with others expected to join the squad on Tuesday.
They include Ernest Nuamah, Brandon Thomas-Asante, Jordan Ayew, Caleb Yirenkyi, Abdul Fatawu Issahaku, Elisha Owusu, Gideon Mensah, Marvin Senaya, Jerome Opoku, Benjamin Asare, Joseph Anang, Solomon Agbasi, and Alidu Seidu.
The Black Stars will train in Cardiff for one week ahead of the international friendly against Wales on Tuesday, June 2, before traveling to the United States of America.
Coach Carlos Queiroz will use the period to assess his players before naming his final squad for the 2026 FIFA World Cup in Canada, Mexico, and the United States.
Twenty-six players will be submitted to FIFA on Monday, June 1, as mandated by the competition regulations.
The Black Stars are drawn in Group L with Panama, England, and Croatia. They will open their World Cup campaign against Panama on June 17 in Toronto before facing England and Croatia in their other group matches.
