Four elite amateur boxers from Bukom Boxing Gym will depart for France on 16 April 2026 for a 10-day exchange programme with Boxing Club Drouais, completing the reciprocal leg of a bilateral arrangement that began when the French club visited Accra in October 2025.
Coach Augustus Dodoo confirmed the trip, naming the selected boxers as Mathias Ashitey at 52kg, Emmanuel Attoh at 60kg, Precious Akai Nettey at 63kg, and James Armah at 64kg. The team is scheduled to return on 26 April.
Dodoo described the programme as a structured partnership between the two clubs designed to deepen ties between Ghana and France through boxing, noting that the French side fulfilled their end of the arrangement when they visited Bukom last year.
Beyond the exchange itself, the coach said the timing serves a broader strategic purpose. With the 2026 Commonwealth Games set for Glasgow, Scotland, from 23 July to 2 August, the trip offers Ghana’s Black Bombers an opportunity to train against European competition and sharpen their readiness ahead of the continental showpiece.
Dodoo, widely known in boxing circles as “One Life,” acknowledged support from National Sports Authority (NSA) Director General Yaw Ampofo, Sports and Recreation Minister Iddi Adams, Minister of Youth Development and Empowerment George Opare-Addo, and the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF).
The France exchange adds to a period of active international engagement for Ghana’s amateur boxing programme. The GBF recently met with the Swiss Ambassador to explore technical cooperation and funding support, as the federation works to rebuild its national squad following the transition of several top fighters, including Samuel Takyi and Abu Kamoko, to the professional ranks.
