Ghana’s most iconic boxing figure, Azumah Nelson, has been appointed Vice Chairman and Special Technical Advisor to a newly formed Interim Management Committee (IMC) tasked with overhauling the troubled boxing sector in the country.
The announcement, made on Monday, September 29, 2025, comes at a time of heightened scrutiny and public concern following the recent deaths of two young boxers—Gabriel Oluwasegun of Nigeria and Ghana’s own Ernest “Bahubali” Akushey—during sanctioned bouts.
The tragic incidents prompted the Ministry of Sports and Recreation to impose an indefinite suspension on all boxing activities in Ghana, and establish a Ministerial Committee to investigate systemic failures within the sport.
Based on that committee’s recommendations, the new IMC has been assembled to restore credibility, enhance safety, and restructure the governance of boxing in Ghana.
Former Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) President Samir Captan has been appointed as Chair of the IMC, bringing decades of administrative experience to the role. He will be supported by Azumah Nelson, whose legendary status as a former world champion adds technical depth and symbolic weight to the reform process.
Other members of the committee include:
Mr. Felix Quartey
Dr. Hadi Mohammed
Dr. Ofori Asare
Mr. Lester Kwateng
Mr. Prince Azanu
Patrick Johnson will serve as the committee’s secretary.
The committee has been tasked with developing a comprehensive reform roadmap, culminating in the election of new GBA executives to take over the sport’s daily administration.
While many in the boxing community have welcomed the move as necessary, the temporary suspension of the sport has sparked backlash from some stakeholders, who have described the decision as unlawful and disruptive to athletes’ careers and livelihoods.
Nonetheless, officials argue that the pause is essential to creating a safer, more accountable system, especially in the wake of recent fatalities.
“The appointment of Azumah Nelson signals that we are serious about fixing boxing,” one Ministry official stated. “His voice carries weight not only in Ghana but across the international boxing scene.”
As Ghana’s boxing future hangs in the balance, the IMC will be under pressure to deliver urgent reforms while managing tensions within a deeply passionate—but currently fractured—sporting community.
