The Committee for Professional Boxers has strongly opposed the decision by the Ministry of Sports and the National Sports Authority (NSA) to suspend professional boxing in Ghana and dissolve the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) Board.
Last week, the NSA announced that all boxing activities were to be halted, with the GBA Board dissolved, following the tragic passing of boxer Ernest Akushey, popularly known as Bahubali. The 23-year-old was confirmed dead just 11 days after his bout against Jacob Dickson at the Bukom Boxing Arena, where he suffered severe punishment in the ring.
His death, the second of its kind in recent years under GBA-sanctioned bouts, has reignited concerns about medical protocols and regulatory standards in Ghanaian boxing.
In a joint statement, major stakeholders—including the Professional Boxers Association of Ghana, United Boxing Coaches Association, Boxing Promoters Association, Matchmakers & Agents Association, Veteran Boxers Association, Boxing Ring Officials Association, and Boxing Managers Association—declared their rejection of the Interim Management Committee (IMC) set up by the NSA to replace the GBA Board.
“The major stakeholders in professional boxing in Ghana vehemently reject the Interim Management Committee (IMC) to replace the current GBA Executive Board in running professional boxing in Ghana, as well as the suspension of all boxing activities following the demise of professional boxer Ernest Akushey,” the statement read.
The committee argued that the NSA has “overstepped its boundaries” in seeking to impose an IMC to oversee the sport, insisting that boxing stakeholders must be directly involved in shaping reforms.
Meanwhile, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation is expected to formally inaugurate the newly constituted Interim Management Committee in Accra following the board’s dissolution.
