The Ghana National Youth Amateur Boxing Team — Black Rockets — have touched down in Conakry, Guinea, to participate in the highly anticipated 2025 Africa Youth Boxing Championship, scheduled from May 19 to May 25.
Representing Ghana in this prestigious continental event are:
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Mathias Ashitey (Flyweight – 51kg)
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George Dowuona (Bantamweight – 54kg)
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Desmond Pappoe (Middleweight – 75kg)
The team is led by Coach Joseph Martey, a certified One-Star Coach, who doubles as the Coach and Chef de Mission (CDM) for the delegation.
Also present at the championship is Mr. George Lamptey, immediate past President of the Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) and a current member of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) Board. Mr. Lamptey is serving as one of the International Technical Officials (ITOs) for the event.
The Africa Youth Boxing Championship promises a week of intense competition, uniting some of the continent’s most talented young boxers. In addition to the matches, the championship also includes educational opportunities that aim to strengthen and develop boxing across Africa.
Ahead of the opening ceremony, the draw for the round-robin format was conducted. Ghana’s George Dowuona will kick things off for the team in the 54kg preliminaries, facing Miftah Albinbagu of Liberia. On Tuesday, Desmond Pappoe will take on Lade Micock of Seychelles in the 75kg division as the tournament officially gets underway in the Guinean capital.
As part of efforts to build capacity within African boxing, the championship will also host three official IBA Certification Courses:
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Referee & Judge (R&J) Course
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Coaching Course
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International Technical Official (ITO) Course
These initiatives aim to enhance the skills, knowledge, and standards of African boxing professionals, further contributing to the sport’s growth on the continent.
Charles Jojo Ephson
GBF Media
