Sports
US-based Ghanaian teen boxer supports surgery of little girl
THIRTEEN-year-old juvenile boxer Joseph Awinongya Jnr has pledged to support young Paulina Anokye to undergo spinal surgery.
The US-based young pugilist, Awinongya Jnr, who is also a philanthropist would financially support Anokye to undergo surgery to remove a spinal tumor which had affected her mobility and eventually thrown her into paralysis.
Little Anokye, a native of Kwadaso in Ashanti region, was diagnosed with spinal tumor at age four when she started experiencing immobility in her left fingers.
Anokye, due to lack of finance to correct the defect, has resorted to herbal treatment which further deteriorated her condition affecting her right arm and both legs, rendering her paralysed.
Awinongya Jnr, also known as Jojo saw the deteriorating condition of the little girl on YouTube on and with the help of his Dad, Joseph Awinongya Snr, has decided to reach out and support.
“I showed the video to my dad and he asked me to choose between getting a Play Station 5 which I so much desire to have and supporting Paulina with the funds. I chose to help Paulina and forget about the Play Station because her condition gradually is killing her because of money,” Awinongya Jnr stated.
Jojo would pay for her medical assistance fees and give an undisclosed amount for her up-keep for four months after her surgery at the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital where she has been booked for surgery on today.
Jojo also appealed to the general public here in Ghana and in America to support Paulina financially to enable her go through the surgery and her recovery process successfully .
He expressed appreciation to Jim Muisenga General Manager of Hawk Chevrolet of Joliet, Secretary of State Illinois Jesse White, Roger C. Claar the Mayor of Bolingbrook, Lori Lightfoot Mayor of Chicago, Joliet Mayor Bob O’ Dekirk,Isaac Agyapong Ansere MBA, CPA, Real Estate Broker and Emmanuel Hatzi X’s & Os Sports Bar for their support with his projects and development as a boxer.
As part of their support to nuture young talents in the country,Awinongya Snr is working to invite another amazing juvenile boxer Hakeem Nii Nortey Lokko, who is also trained by his father Carl Lokko (Owner and headcoach of Bronx Boxing Club and Technical Director of the Ghana Boxing Authority) to Chicago to exchange boxing lessons and to be part of Jojo’s his ongoing documentary.
Jojo, who is currently rated number one and two in the 90lbs and 95lbs divisions in America, has won almost all competitions he has participated. He has shown superb exhibition of boxing artistry, rare display of boxing IQ, academic excellence and has become the toast of many in Ghana and Chicago where he lives with his family.
BY MICHAEL D.ABAYATEYE
Otto Addo is taking a calm and focused approach to the World Cup after being drawn against England, Panama, and Croatia in Group L.
“I look forward to every game as special,” he told ghanafa.org.
“Very important for us that we don’t underrate any team. For sure, England is the favourite in that group,” he acknowledged. “But for me as a coach, to be honest, I’m looking at each and every game equally.”
Addo is particularly focused on getting a strong start against Panama. “I’m hoping that we have a good start against Panama, that will be very, very crucial,” he said. “It will make the other games a little bit more relaxed and easier for the players psychologically. We will use the window of March for test matches, and then see,” he said.
Despite being a young team, Addo is proud of his squad’s progress. “I think we did very well in the qualifiers ” he said. “We didn’t lose a single official game, like the qualifying games, we did very well. We just played one draw and the rest we won, so we had quite a good year in 2025, after a bad year in 2024’’.
“Even though we have a very young team, we really, really did well, had a good harmony in the team, good union,” he added.
Ghana will open their FIFA World Cup campaign against Panama in Toronto on June 17 before facing England and Croatia in the other Group L matches on June 23 and 27 respectively.
The unbeaten away run of Accra Hearts of Oak will be put to the test tomorrow when they visit the Aliu Mahama Sports Stadium in Tamale to play as guests of Karela United. Described as one of the top-liners of the weekend games, the match will pitch one of the best home teams against the best away team, with their records on the line.
After playing a pulsating 2-2 draw with Kumasi Asante Kotoko last week, league leaders Medeama SC return to their fortress, the TnA Stadium, to welcome Berekum Chelsea FC in a clash of former league winners. Medeama have struggled in recent times to hold their own against the ‘Bibires’, losing their last four games both home and away.
However, according to Head Coach of Medeama, Tanko Ibrahim, that sequence of results will come to an end tomorrow as they look to crawl out of the claws of their opponents with victory. Eleven points separate the sides, with Berekum Chelsea lying a distant 14th position on the log. They have been a pale shadow of themselves this season, and it remains to be seen if Coach Samuel Boadu’s side can keep the bragging rights over the Yellow and Mauves in what has been described as one of their worse starts to a league season.
Today, second-placed Kpando Heart of Lions will trek to the Kwame Kyei Sports Complex in Abrankese to play as guests of struggling Nations FC. Having suffered a 1-0 away loss to Basake Holy Stars in their last game, Nations FC would look to pick all three points to better their current 12th position.
In other games, the Hohoe Sports Stadium will come alive as new boys Hohoe United FC welcome Kumasi Asante Kotoko. The Nii Adjei Kraku II Sports Complex in Tema will host the Vision FC versus Young Apostles FC game, the Tuba Astro Turf will host the Dreams FC versus Bechem United FC clash, while the Nsenkyire Sports Arena will host the Samartex FC versus Bibiani Gold Stars game. High-riding Aduana FC will sort things out with Basake Holy Stars at the Nana Agyeman Badu I Park in Dormaa.
By Raymond Ackumey
Join our WhatsApp Channel now!
https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029VbBElzjInlqHhl1aTU27
