Coach Carl Lokko Urges Media To Improve Low Coverage And Promotion Of Boxing In Ghana

Ace boxing trainer, Lawrence Carl Lokko is not happy with media coverage and promotion of boxing in Ghana.

In an exclusive interview, he blamed the media, sports journalists especially for not motivating boxers and trainers, because some do not give right information and others do not promote boxing at all.

Carl Lokko who is CEO / Head Coach at the Bronx Boxing Club said even when the Sports Writers Association (SWAG) come up with their awards, there are only a few slots for boxing, meanwhile boxing is the only sport that has given the nation more genuine laurels and real achievements.

According to him the first African Olympic medalist was a Ghanaian, the late Clement Ike Quartey yet the media has not hyped him much for governments and the people to see and know his worth, until he died and Parliament was trying to praise him. He called for a monument in his remembrance and honour.

He said the SWAG just considers boxing, but not really reward or award boxers, coaches and boxing activities like football or even armwrestling.

He noted that the right things must be done for boxers to be motivated and inspire.

“We can’t do sports without the media, but in Ghana the leadership of the sports media is not helping us, they are rather killing us, how can you name best sportsmen and women without Abigail Quartey who has won a world title, in fact the first female to win a world title belt” he asked.

Carl Lokko said he is not happy with so many things and has been looking on. But it is time to voice out some of the mistakes.

He asked why no professional boxer has been named by SWAG last year and this year, yet they have best footballer and Ghana Football is at its lowest form and ranking at CAF and FIFA level. He was happy the Black Stars could not qualify for the next African cup and that should inform SWAG that the footballers are not trying.

“If we have not done anything at all we have some WBO African champions and they should be considered” he expressed.

“We are always glad to mention our past champions like D.K. Poison, Azumah Nelson, Ike Bazooka Quartey, Alfred Kotey, Joshua Clottey, Nana Yaw Konadu, Joseph Agbeko, Isaac Dogboe, Emmanuel Tagoe for what they have done.

Carl Lokko is Vice President of the United Boxing Coaches Association and an executive board member of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA).

He led Richard Commey to become IBF Lightweight champion of the world, and currently coaching potential world beaters like Sheriff Quaye, Jacob Laryea, John ‘Expensive Boxer’ Laryea, Daniel Gorsh, Abu Kamoko and Stanley Nyantekyi aka ‘Ashanti Warrior’.

By Sammy Heywood Okine