Who Are The Boxing Stars Of Africa?

Africa is a continent that is diverse with the talent that it has produced across a number of different sports. However, the success that African boxers have achieved throughout their careers is often overlooked. This is currently a golden generation of talent in combat sports from the continent, with UFC stars such as Kamuru Usman, Francis Ngannou, and Israel Adesanya all successfully winning world titles.

However, there has also been African success in the boxing ring, and the popularity of these has led to an increased number of bettors at www.paridirect.com, who are keen to bet on some of the biggest bouts. But, who are some of the most talented African boxers that we have seen in recent history?

Samuel Peter

There were few more formidable fighters in the world throughout the 2000s than Samuel Peter. The Nigerian Nightmare was a dominant fighter in the heavyweight division and claimed victories in 28 of his 47 professional bouts. Peter landed a first world title in 2008, as he sensationally knocked out Oleg Maskaev in the sixth round.

However, it was his rivalry with the Klitschko brothers that elevated his career to new heights. His rivalry with the Ukrainian brothers began in 2005, as he was beaten by Wladimir in New Jersey. He was then beaten by Vitali in his first defense of the WBC heavyweight title via eighth-round stoppage. Peter would be beaten once again by Wladimir in September 2010 when challenging for the WBO, IBF, and IBO heavyweight titles.

Cornelius Edwards

Cornelius Edwards continues to be a prominent figure in the world of boxing today. The Ugandan athlete now lives in the United States and trains potential future superstars of the ring. Edwards made his way in the sport at the amateur level, but he was deprived of a chance of winning gold at the 1976 Olympics after Uganda boycotted the event in Montreal.

However, he turned professional later that year and amassed an impressive professional record of 29-2 before challenging for the WBC super featherweight title. He wasn’t able to let his opportunity pass him by, and he scored a unanimous decision win over Rafael Limon. He would later lose the title to Rolando Navarrete. Before the end of his career, he would challenge for the WBC lightweight title on two occasions, but he was beaten by Hector Camacho in 1986 and Jose Luis Ramirez in 1987.

Azumah Nelson

Azumah Nelson is widely considered to be the greatest African boxer in history. The Ghanaian athlete competed at the amateur level at the All Africa Games and Commonwealth Games in 1978, winning gold on both occasions. Soon after, he turned professional, and almost caused an almighty shock in one of his first fights abroad when challenging Salvador Sanchez for the WBC featherweight title.

However, it wouldn’t be long before he finally got his hands on a world title, as he scored a stunning eleventh-round KO victory over Wilfredo Gomez in December 1984. He would go on to successfully defend the title on six occasions, before challenging Mario Martinez for the WBC super featherweight gold in February 1988.

Nelson claimed another victory to his growing accolades and became a two-weight world champion. Another four successful defenses led to him challenging for the lightweight titles, but he was beaten by a unanimous decision by Pernell Whitaker. After a sensational career, Nelson retired from the sport in 2008 having amassed a professional record of 37-7.

Ike Quartey

Ike Quartey is another successful African boxer that held world championship gold during his career. His talent was clear to all from an early age, as he represented Ghana at the 1988 Olympic Games. A day before turning 19, he returned professional under the stewardship of Yoofi Boham. Within nine fights, he captured the West African light welterweight title and later added the African light welterweight title to his collection.

World championship glory would then become his target, and he began climbing the ladder by winning the WBC international light welterweight title in 1992. He would finally achieve his dream of becoming a world champion in June 1994, as he defeated Crisanto Espana by TKO to win the WBA welterweight title. After seven successful defenses, his unbeaten record ended at the hands of Oscar De La Hoya in February 1999. But, his place among the boxing elite in Africa’s history remains intact after he retired with a 37-4 professional record in 2006.

The Future Of African Boxing

African boxers' success, particularly in professional boxing, spurs an increasing number of athletes to participate in the sport. African boxers are also presenting a good example of hard effort and dedication, motivating other African fighters in martial arts to strive for greatness. Some of the brightest and best African boxing talents in history have blazed a trail to the top of the sport. As a result, we anticipate that more promising young African boxers will take the world by storm in the future years.