Experienced Ghanaian referee/judge, Ataa Eddie Pappoe has been sanctioned by the International Boxing Organisation (IBO) to be one of three judges to score the IBO Lightweight world title fight between Ghana’s Emmanuel ‘Game Boy’ Tagoe and Fernando David Saucedo of Argentina in Accra on November 25.
Pappoe, a renowned WBC/IBF/IBO judge replaces Michael Alexander of the UK whose passport has less than six months to expire. The document replacement and travel arrangements including visa acquisition will delay his journey to Ghana.
Hence the decision by the sanctioning body and the plea of BabyJet Promotions to consider an equally competent judge in Ghana fell on the revered Ataa Eddie Pappoe whose judging credentials has landed him several world title fights across the globe.
Meanwhile, the IBO have also confirmed the full list of officials who will oversee the fight which headlines the BabyJet Promotions bill slated for the newly built Bukom Boxing Arena inside the Trust Emporium on the fringes of Accra next week Friday.
Michael Hook of Sweden will be the referee whilst the judges are Allen Matakane of South Africa, Terrence Makaluza also of South Africa and Ghana’s Ataa Eddie Pappoe of course. Andile Matika of South Africa is sanctioned to supervise the entire show as match commissioner.
Emmanuel Tagoe begins tour with IBO title
Ghana’s Emmanuel ‘Game Boy’ Tagoe is rallying support of his countrymen ahead of his IBO Lightweight world championship versus Fernando David Saucedo of Argentina by taking the belt on a tour of his community on Friday in the company of former 3-time world champion, ‘Marvelous’ Nana Yaw Konadu.
The belt arrived in Accra last Monday ahead of the November 25 clash dubbed ‘Fist of Destiny’ at the newly built ultra modern boxing stadium on the outskirts of the Ghanaian capital. Keen to garner enough support as well as publicize the event, BabyJet Promotions have lined up a series of tours with the title.
It all began in Bukom, the same boxing-mad community in Accra which has produced many world champions, a list Tagoe craves to join with victory over Saucedo come fight night. First point of call was the Tagoe Family House where the boxer’s immediate relatives poured blessings and well wishes on him in the bid to be world champion.
Other community leaders Team Tagoe and BabyJet Promotions called on for blessings included the Sakumo Wulomo, Nae Wulomo and Korle Wulomo, all revered traditional priests in the boxer’s native Ga land.
The IBO title tour continues on Monday with courtesy calls on the Ga Traditional Council, SSNIT and Sports Minister, Hon. Nii Lante Vanderpuye who aside being a former boxer, sports man and journalist of repute, is also the Member of Parliament for the area.
Tagoe vrs Saucedo for the IBO Lightweight championship of the world is put together by Ghana national soccer team captain, Asamoah Gyan’s BabyJet Promotions and rocks Accra on Friday November 25. Saucedo is expected to arrive in Ghana on November 19, six days to fight night.