There was a near pandemonium at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra on Monday dawn during a bout between city rivals George Ashie and Robert Quaye in the IBF Continental Africa Junior Welterweight.
It took the intervention of the security personnel to calm down tempers and that was after Robert Quaye and his team had abandoned the bout after going down twice in the 8th round of the 12-round bout.
Not even the presence of the Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, would compel Quaye and his team to comport themselves and follow the rules.
The night witnessed one of the well-organized and well-attended boxing events as the multipurpose Bukom Boxing Arena facility of a sitting capacity of 4,000 was full.
Albert Quaye’s team quickly rushed into the ring on the second fall of the 8th round, whisked the boxer away through the ring, without informing referee Roger Barnor of their decision.
Tempers went high as people were throwing missiles, made up of bottled and sachet water, into the ring.
It took the intervention of the military, police and other security services present to calm tempers down for the winner to be announced.
Full report
Both boxers started well from the round with good entertaining boxing to the admiration of the fans.
But in the second round, Albert Quaye had a cut behind his left eye, which seemed to reduce his strength.
Each gave themselves heavy blows until the 8th Round when Albert Quaye went down around 1:30seconds.
Referee Roger Barnor, after the mandatory count, enquired whether he would want to box again, and he answered in affirmative.
They continued and this time, it was a disaster for Albert Quaye.
George Ashie continued his supremacy in the game and the round with hefty punches on Albert Quaye’s own Blue Corner.
He succumbed to the blows and went down for the second time in the same round and while referee Roger Barnor was counting him down, some members of his corner jumped into the ring while others penetrated through the ring to stop the bout.
Albert Quaye was dragged out of the ring and whisked away through the crowd, raising tension in the Arena.
Nathaniel Attoh while announcing the winner in the presence of the Vice President, Dr. Bawumia, President of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), Promoter, Alex Ntiamoah-Boakye’s Box Office Sports, sponsors and the over 4,000 crowd said “Albert Quaye had abandoned the bout”.
George Ashie was therefore declared the winner of the IBF Continental Africa Junior Welterweight.
