Ghanaian heavyweight prospect Joseph Antwi delivered one of the more memorable moments of the “Freedom and Justice Fight Night” on March 6 in Accra, stopping Felix Mankattah in the opening round while paying a deliberate and well-received tribute to independence hero Osagyefo Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
The bout, held at the Cathedral Clinic on High Street and promoted by Sports Education and Management (SEM) Promotions, served as a supporting contest on a card headlined by Olympic bronze medalist Samuel Takyi and Ghana Super Welterweight champion Musah Rahman Lawson. For Antwi, however, the occasion carried personal significance beyond the result itself.
Fighting out of Wisdom Boxing Gym and known by the nickname Junior Bazooka, Antwi entered the ring in a “Pride of Ghana” T-shirt bearing an image of Dr. Nkrumah in traditional kente cloth. He wore gloves in the colours of the Ghanaian flag and white-and-black gladiator-style shorts, completing an outfit that carried a direct message about the earned, not granted, nature of Ghana’s independence. His ring walk was made to the highlife classic Ghana Land of Freedom by E.T. Mensah and his Tempos Band, a song long associated with the spirit of March 6, 1957.
Once the contest began, Antwi matched the symbolism with substance. He controlled the fight from the opening exchange and finished Mankattah inside the first round with a decisive knockout, registering his fourth consecutive professional victory.
His trainer, Coach Asare, credited steady development in the gym for the performance. “Antwi has shown significant improvement since his first professional fight,” Asare said. “He continues to grow every day in training, and we are confident that the best is yet to come.”
The Ghana Boxing Interim Management Committee (GBIMC), which sanctioned all bouts on the card under enhanced medical and safety protocols, confirmed the result. Antwi and his team are expected to return to action later in 2026 as he continues to build his professional record.
