Thousands of boxing fans and residents of Ghana’s Upper East Region were treated to a historic night of professional boxing as the region hosted its first major championship in more than 20 years. The event took place at the Nab Hotel and Events Centre in Bolgatanga and featured 27 boxers from the Upper East, Upper West and Northern Regions competing across 13 bouts, including exhibition fights.
The championship, organised by the Upper East Regional Office of the National Sports Authority in partnership with the Nab Hotel and Events Centre, showcased exciting talent, particularly in the bantamweight division, where young fighters displayed impressive skill, discipline and determination. Many of the boxers used the platform to demonstrate their readiness to pursue boxing as a professional career.
Families and supporters packed the venue to cheer on their wards, adding to the electric atmosphere. For many residents, the event was the first time they had witnessed a professional boxing competition in the region, underlining the significance of the occasion.
Lack of facilities in the North
Despite the abundance of raw talent in northern Ghana, the region continues to struggle with a lack of standard sporting infrastructure. Apart from Tamale, which has a stadium capable of hosting boxing events, most of the northern regions do not have suitable facilities for training and competitions. This has discouraged many young people from taking up boxing and forced others to travel to southern Ghana in search of better opportunities — a move that often fails due to accommodation, financial and management challenges.
NSA Regional Director thrilled with success
Upper East Regional Director of the National Sports Authority, Abdul Rahman Danladi, described the championship as a major breakthrough after two decades without a boxing event in the region.
“I want Ghana and the world to know that boxers from the Upper East, Upper West and Northern regions are strong,” he said. “I organised this championship to encourage these young men to stop street fighting and instead turn their strength into a profession. Boxing can be a business for them and can help their families.”
He added that the response to the event had been overwhelming, with interest coming from Accra, Kumasi, Tema and beyond, including boxers originally from the Upper East who now live in other parts of the country.
“For this edition, we decided to focus on the indigenous boys who are at home and not getting opportunities. The regional minister is fully behind this programme and the boxers have trained seriously for two months to prepare for this championship,” Danladi said.
Organisers call for annual event
The Director of the Nab Hotel and Events Centre also expressed excitement about hosting the historic competition.
“I have never seen a boxing competition in the Upper East before, even though I know it happens in other regions,” he said. “We decided to support this event to motivate people in the Northern regions and show what we can achieve together. We want to make this an annual programme so that the region’s name can rise.”
Calls for boxing arena
Sports analyst and boxing enthusiast Pallas Apuakasi praised the organisers and called on government and private partners to invest in boxing infrastructure in the Upper East.
“We need a boxing arena here, just like Bukom in Accra,” he said. “If we can get one in Bolgatanga, it will serve all 15 constituencies in the region and help develop more champions for Ghana and Africa.”
He added that many young people in the region are eager to learn boxing but lack the facilities to train and develop their skills.
Hope for youth development
Residents and boxing lovers believe events like this will help reduce youth crime and idleness while strengthening the sports industry in northern Ghana. There is growing demand for boxing arenas across the five northern regions to harness the enthusiasm and talent now emerging among young boxers.
With renewed interest, strong community support and visible talent on display, the return of professional boxing to the Upper East has reignited hope for a brighter future for the sport in northern Ghana.
