Former Ghana Boxing Authority President Abraham Kotei Neequaye has waded into controversy surrounding his son’s professional boxing record, insisting that disputed results leave the young fighter with just one legitimate defeat on his career ledger.
Speaking from his new base in the United States, Neequaye addressed questions about Cann Neequaye’s standing after the contentious March 2025 bout against Daniel Otoo at Bukom Boxing Arena. The former GBA chief revealed that the fight’s outcome was supposed to be reviewed by a GBA committee, though he’s uncertain whether Acting President Roger Barnor and the board ever convened to make a final determination after his June resignation.
According to the elder Neequaye, his son now carries a record of 15 wins and one loss, with the loss coming not from the disputed Daniel Otoo fight but from an earlier bout in Tanzania. Cann Neequaye suffered that defeat against Salmin Kassim, who held a 9 win, 0 loss, 2 draw record with five knockouts, at Viwanja vya Posta in Dar es Salaam. The former GBA president emphasized that his son went the full distance against a champion known for finishing opponents early.
The controversy stems from the March 8, 2025 Super Bantamweight title fight at Bukom Boxing Arena, part of the “Shi Shii Shi” Fight Night organized as Ghana celebrated its 68th Independence Day. Daniel Otoo was declared winner in a decision that sparked immediate controversy, with many observers questioning the judges’ scoring. The fight featured 19 year old Cann Neequaye, who entered with what was then described as a 15 win, 0 loss record including 10 knockouts.
Some boxing databases currently list Cann Neequaye with an unblemished 15 win, 0 loss record as of February 2025, suggesting they haven’t registered the disputed March bout as an official loss. This discrepancy underscores the confusion surrounding how Ghana’s boxing establishment has handled the controversial decision.
The former GBA president’s comments from abroad reflect his continued engagement with Ghanaian boxing despite his June 2025 resignation, which he attributed to personal reasons and respect for President John Mahama and the ruling NDC party. His departure left Roger Barnor in the acting president role, though Ghana’s boxing landscape has since undergone dramatic changes.
Abraham Neequaye also addressed the tragic death of Ernest Akushey, popularly known as Bahubali, who died September 23, 2025 at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, just 11 days after his last fight. The former GBA boss revealed that during his tenure, he had stopped Bahubali from fighting due to medical reasons, a decision that takes on haunting significance given the boxer’s subsequent death.
“I was sad to hear about Bahubali,” Neequaye reportedly stated, calling for the fighter’s family to receive compensation similar to what he arranged for Nigerian boxer Gabriel Olusegun, who died in Ghana during an earlier period. His comments implicitly criticize how boxing authorities handled Bahubali’s situation after he left office, particularly the decision to allow the fighter to continue competing despite known health concerns.
The Bahubali tragedy catalyzed a government response that has paralyzed Ghana’s boxing industry. Following the 32 year old boxer’s death from what reports indicated was internal bleeding sustained during an eighth round technical knockout loss to Jacob Dickson, the National Sports Authority suspended all professional boxing and established an Interim Management Committee to oversee reforms.
From his American base, the former GBA president offered his perspective on the IMC’s mandate and Ghana boxing’s path forward. He expressed skepticism about the three month timeline initially given to the committee, arguing that six months to one year would be more realistic for establishing proper structures and injecting administrative discipline into the sport.
“I think the three months is not enough because what can they do in that short period,” Neequaye reportedly stressed, suggesting that meaningful reform requires time for capacity building, investment attraction, and collaboration with health authorities. He advocated for partnerships between the IMC, Ministry of Health, and Ghana Medical Association to provide proper medical personnel for all combat sports.
His call for government support to attract investment reflects broader concerns about Ghana boxing’s infrastructure deficits. The former president argued that boxers, cut men, trainers, and gyms all need capacity building support to operate at international standards. Without such investment, he suggested, Ghana risks continuing the cycle of inadequate preparation and insufficient medical oversight that contributed to tragedies like Bahubali’s death.
Neequaye also offered pointed advice to boxing stakeholders currently agitating for changes, warning that demonstrations won’t solve underlying problems. “It is about time the stakeholders in boxing think deep and outside the box than on the surface,” he reportedly stated, calling instead for sharing ideas and developing strategic solutions rather than confrontational tactics.
His comments come as Ghana’s boxing community remains divided over the suspension and IMC’s composition. Some stakeholders have protested that IMC members continue officiating international bouts while local fighters are prevented from competing, creating perceptions of double standards that fuel resentment.
The elder Neequaye’s intervention on his son’s record, while addressing a specific concern, also highlights the administrative chaos that has characterized Ghana boxing in recent months. When even basic questions about a fighter’s win/loss record remain unresolved months after controversial bouts, it reflects deeper institutional dysfunction that the IMC must address.
Whether Cann Neequaye’s record should reflect one loss or two may seem like a minor administrative matter, but it carries real consequences for the young boxer’s career trajectory, marketability, and eligibility for certain title opportunities. Professional boxing’s credibility depends partly on maintaining accurate, universally recognized records that fighters can present to promoters and sanctioning bodies worldwide.
The former GBA president’s call for thoughtful reform rather than surface level responses resonates with observers who note that Ghana boxing’s challenges run deeper than any single tragedy or controversial decision. Medical protocols, referee training, judging standards, administrative transparency, and financial sustainability all require systematic attention rather than reactive interventions.
As his son continues pursuing boxing success and Ghana’s sport navigates its current crisis, Abraham Kotei Neequaye’s perspective from abroad offers both family advocacy and institutional critique. Whether current boxing authorities take his advice seriously, particularly regarding timelines and investment needs, will significantly shape how Ghana’s boxing community emerges from this difficult period.
For now, the question of Cann Neequaye’s exact record remains emblematic of Ghana boxing’s larger struggles with credibility, consistency, and professional standards that international boxing demands but local institutions have struggled to consistently deliver.
