Jamestown Boxing Club assistant trainer Nuhu Nortey Omaboe has praised his gym’s performance at the 2026 National Individual Amateur Boxing Championship, stating that despite being a young club, their boxers demonstrated high quality skills during preliminary rounds held between January 29 and February 1.
Speaking on The Big Fight Night programme on Omashi TV on Friday, Coach Nuhu emphasized that boxers training at Jamestown gain something special that becomes evident in their ring performances. The club registered six competitors for the championship and advanced three to the finals scheduled for February 27 at the Bukom Boxing Arena.
Jamestown Boxing Club’s three finalists are middleweight Desmond Pappoe, super heavyweight Daniel Plange, and juvenile sensation Samuel Plange. Coach Nuhu identified all three as strong gold medal prospects capable of winning their respective divisions at the finals.
Senior Coach Randy Amugi addressed controversy surrounding Samuel Plange’s second day results, stating the club protested what they viewed as an incorrect decision that sparked heated reactions among spectators. Amugi confirmed officials later reversed the verdict in favor of Plange following the protest, though he apologized for any disruption caused by upset fans during the incident.
The assistant trainer warned that unfair judging decisions can significantly impact young boxers who deliver strong performances only to face questionable verdicts. He called for free and fair officiating at the championship finals to ensure deserving competitors receive proper recognition.
Samuel Plange, a student at Prince De Henry Educational Complex, expressed excitement about reaching the final and promised to thrill his supporters at the championship bout. The young boxer cited former world champion Emmanuel Tagoe, known as Game Boy, as his favorite fighter and boxing inspiration.
Daniel Plange, competing under the ring name Fat Joe, pledged to capture gold in the super heavyweight division when he faces Isaac Asiedu of Charles Quartey Boxing Foundation (CQBF) at the finals. Plange, who represented Ghana at the 2023 African Games held in Accra, began serious competitive boxing in 2019 and aims to achieve significant accomplishments at the amateur level.
The super heavyweight revealed he briefly contemplated leaving amateur boxing but returned due to personal motivations he described as driving his competitive comeback. His family connection to Samuel Plange reflects the close knit nature of boxing traditions in Jamestown, where multiple generations often train together.
Jamestown Boxing Club has established itself as a rising force in Ghanaian amateur boxing despite operating for less than five years. The gym was profiled in 2022 as the youngest boxing club in Ghana, with coaches drawing inspiration from American and Cuban training methodologies to develop their fighters.
On the professional front, National Lightweight Champion Africanus Neequaye serves as the public face of Jamestown Boxing Club. Coaches and managers expressed confidence that Neequaye possesses world championship potential with proper management and continued development.
The club acknowledged ongoing support from Michael Amoo Bediako and Streetwise Boxing Management, crediting their partnership as essential to the gym’s growth and ability to compete successfully against more established boxing institutions across Greater Accra.
The Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) will stage the championship finals on February 27, 2026, featuring 24 boxers competing across 12 weight categories. The event serves as the primary selection platform for Ghana’s Black Bombers national amateur boxing team ahead of major international competitions.
Wisdom Boxing Club leads all gyms with five finalists qualified across multiple weight divisions, followed by Charles Quartey Foundation and Jamestown Boxing Club with two finalists each. Black Panthers Gym, Sea View, Fit Square, Will Power, Sonia, Akotoku Academy and Attoh Quarshie produced one finalist each.
The championship attracted 145 boxers from regions including Upper West, Volta, Central, Ashanti and Northern during preliminary rounds. Security services including Ghana Armed Forces and Ghana Prisons Service also entered teams in the competition, demonstrating boxing’s continued role in discipline and national development.
GBF President Dauda Fuseini announced that leading finalists and select losing semifinalists will be considered for the national squad as Ghana prepares for the 2026 Commonwealth Games scheduled from July 23 to August 2 in Glasgow, Scotland. Youth Olympic Games qualifiers in Dakar, Senegal follow later in 2026.
