[8.6] AZUMAH NELSON 47-39(28)-6-2 [Lightweight & Super-Featherweight & Featherweight]: The Ring online - GhanaWeb online -
Today, arguably the greatest African boxer of all time, the legendary Azumah Nelson, turned 60 years old.
During a near-20-year career, Nelson won world titles at featherweight and junior lightweight and fought many of the best fighters of his generation, including Salvador Sanchez, Wilfredo Gomez and Pernell Whitaker.
‘I feel blessed and favored because not all live to be 60,’ Nelson told The Ring on Tuesday. ‘When I look back, it feels like 60 years have come very fast, because not long ago I was busy fighting in the ring in different parts of the world. I’m very thankful to God for always being there for me through the years.’
Nelson came from nowhere to almost shock Sanchez in 1982, giving the Mexican legend all he could handle before succumbing in the final round. He bounced back to surprise Gomez in 1984 for the WBC 126-pound strap, making six successful defenses.
‘Zoom Zoom’ abdicated his throne in 1988 and promptly won the WBC 130-pound title. He held it for six years, making 10 defenses before losing to Jesse James Leija. However, when most wrote him off, he showed he was far from done by rebounding to beat the man who bested Leija, Gabe Ruelas. Nelson fought at the highest level until retiring in 1998.
Fate intervened and prevented him facing one noted rival a second time.
‘One person I really wish I had fought again was Salvador Sanchez, may his soul rest in peace,’ Nelson said solemnly. ‘That was my first professional loss. The fight happened with a very short notice and there were a few challenges just before the fight.
‘He was a really good boxer and I wish I could have had the chance to fight him again. He died in a car accident a few weeks after our bout at Madison Square Garden.’
In Ghana, Nelson is revered like Manny Pacquiao in the Philippines, Felix Trinidad in Puerto Rico and Julio Cesar Chavez senior in Mexico. Special celebrations are planned for the country’s favorite son.
‘You know, Ghanaians love me and I love them so much for the role they played in my career, so this is a week-long celebration,’ Nelson said. ‘I will be having media interactions, sharing memories of my early days and career and to encourage the young ones to work hard and be closer to God.
‘The big celebration will be on July 21, where we will have the next Azumah Nelson Fight Night at the Bukom Boxing Arena. We have some exciting fights and awards by the WBC.’
Though Nelson (39-6-2, 28 knockouts) retired 20 years ago (though he came back a decade later for a one-off fight with Jeff Fenech to complete their trilogy), he has remained very much a part of the boxing scene in his homeland, as well as a few other endeavors.
‘I like farming,’ he explained. ‘I’ve been spending a lot of my time on my farms in between traveling for WBC events. I spend part of my time to also train and mentor young boxers in Accra.’
The boxing-crazy country ended a near-seven-year hiatus without a world champion when one of Nelson’s protege’s, Isaac Dogboe, shocked Jessie Madeleno to win the WBO junior featherweight title on April 28.
‘I was very proud of Isaac Dogboe for preparing very well for that fight and winning against Magdaleno,’ said the 2004 International Boxing Hall of Fame inductee. ‘I was particularly excited because it gave many Ghanaians the hope that boxing is regaining its position in Ghanaian sports.
‘As a boxer, there’s nothing more exciting than spending time to train for a bout and winning it, especially when people don’t think you can do it. As a Ghanaian, I’m very proud of Dogboe and how he is growing. I am also always excited and proud to see young boxers from Ghana going out there with hard work and proving to the world we still have what it takes to be world champions.’
Nelson believes more titles will follow.
‘Currently, I think boxing in Ghana is doing very well,’ he said. ‘The presence of Bukom Boxing Arena is encouraging more promoters to invest in the sport.
‘Also, more boxing gyms are still being opened in and around Bukom; that is also encouraging a lot more amateurs boxers to stay within the sport. The recent successes of boxers like Isaac Dogboe is also bringing more attention to boxing in Ghana now.’ The Ring online article Anson Wainwright, ‘Azumah Nelson Turns 60’
Azumah ‘The Professor’ Nelson was born on September 19, 1958 (some say July, others claim earlier) in the newly independent Ghana. A country that was under the strain of political uprisings.
Azumah grew up in the harsh environment of the Bokum province of Ghana. Fighting was a hobby it was a way of life for the children of the region. In Bokum kids are allowed to fight on the streets as long as they were the same age and used no weapons. Outsiders knew about the kids from Bokum, and even if you were a talented fighter, you did not mess with the kids from Bokum even if you were older. They could fight.
Like his father, Azumah wanted to box, and he truly believed he could beat anyone. He tried on several occasions in the streets, but was led into the gym to face the best boxer at the time. The boy beat him silly, but that did not matter, Azumah kept coming back and eventually was able to take on the man with success. That is when he began to train as a boxer.
After going 50-1 as an amateur and a Commonwealth championship as a featherweight – Nelson picked up gold in the featherweight division at the Edmonton games in 1978. After this success he turned professional and within 10 fights he was the holder of the Ghanaian, African and Commonwealth belts. He went 13-0 to start his pro-career. In his 14th fight as a pro he showed the stuff that spawn legends as he stepped up against the legendary WBC featherweight champion Salvador Sanchez. In rough and rugged fight, Nelson fought valiantly against Sanchez going toe to toe with the champion, but was stopped in the 15th round. It turned out that was the great champions last fight as Sanchez was killed in an automobile accident 22 days later. He was 23 years old and had earned a career record of 44-1-1 with 32 KOs. With Sanchez’s death, the boxing world was in shock. The WBC title was won by Juan La Porte on September 15, 1982 and made two successful defenses before losing the title to Wilfredo Gomez on March 31, 1984. This set up Nelson’s second chance at the WBC crown.
Since his historic fight with Sanchez, Nelson went right back to his winning ways by winning six straight fights before facing Gomez. Nelson did not fail in his second attempt as he hammered Gomez eventually stopping him in the 11th round. Nelson would rule the featherweight division for the next three years, until he relinquished his crown to move up to super-featherweight.
Nelson would go on to win the WBC super-feather title in February 1988 when he won a disputed decision over Mario Martinez. He then defended 3 times, including a rematch with Martinez whom he stopped in the 12th. In 1990, he made an attempt to move up to lightweight, but was easily out pointed by Pernell Whitaker. Since his super-feather belt were not at stake he moved back down and went on to face such competition as Jeff Fenech (twice), Gabriel Ruelas, and a draw to Jesse James Leija.
It looked as if time had finally caught up with Nelson as he lost a rematch with Leija in his next fight. Leija lost the crown in his next fight as well to Gabriel Ruelas. Ruelas looked like the new dominant figure in the division, but tragedy struck when Ruelas defeated Jimmy Garcia and Garcia died of head injuries a few days after the fight. A distraught Ruelas entered the ring after taking a lay off against Nelson, who was then considered a safe opponent. The safe opponent stopped Ruelas in the fifth. It seemed Nelson wasn’t as washed up as thought as he stopped Leija in the 6th. Nelson would lose his next two fights to Genaro Hernandez and a fourth meeting with Leija. Nelson would then call it quits and would return to Ghana
While Nelson was winding up a spectacular career, ending with a record of 39-5-2 (28 KOs) and a championship record of 18-4-2, another young man from the Bokum province was about to take his step as well. Ike Quartey was not as popular as Azumah, but he came up in the same tough streets that Nelson did. Quartey was also a great amateur from Ghana, just like Nelson and came up training in Nelson’s gym.
Azumah is known in boxing circles as ‘The Professor’ because of his ability to teach his opponents a boxing lesson. His craft and power still see him widely regarded as the greatest fighter to ever emerge from the African continent. Nelson, who has been called the greatest African boxer of all time, quit the sport at the age of 40 with a record of 39 wins, five losses and two draws. Nelson won a swag of titles over his superb 20-year professional career, including British Commonwealth and African featherweight titles, and WBC featherweight and super-featherweight crowns.
More than half of his fights were world title contests and he had a draw and victory in bouts against another triple world champion, Australian Jeff Fenech.
Nelson has retired and vowed not to make a comeback.
‘I am not the type of man who says one thing today and turns back on it tomorrow,’ he said.
Nelson has also been told he can expect to become the first African inducted into the international boxing Hall of Fame.
During his 19-year professional career, he stopped 28 of his opponents within the distance, recording a total 38 wins, four losses and two draws. Among opponents he beat were Mexican Marcos Villasana, Mario ‘Azabache’ Martinez, Australian Jeff Fenech,and Briton Jim McDonnell. His four defeats were at the hands of Pernell Whitaker, Jesse James Leija (twice) and Genardo Hernandez. GhanaWeb online article
23) Pat Cowdell KO1: UK Fight Commentary TV -
v Pat Cowdell 12 October 1985 WBC Featherweight Birmingham West Midlands [r1] … One of the most ferocious little champions around today … beautifully built for a featherweight … getting to Pat with some body shots … Oh! … He’s [Cowdell] being counted out … What a puncher this fellow Nelson … A left hand uppercut … UK ITV fight commentary Reg Gutteridge & Jim Watt
45) Genaro Hernandez Lost SD Points: US Fight Commentary TV -
v Genaro Hernandez 22 March 1997 WBC Super-Featherweight Corpus Christi Texas: [r1] … He [Nelson] has tremendous talent … quick on his feet … [r2] … [Hernandez] being him to the punch … best punch of the fight … advantage in this second round … [r3] … [Nelson] looking strangely detached … has troubled getting in … [r4] … Nice [Nelson] right hand to the body … Azumah staggered a little … [r5] … Hernandez beating a tattoo … The Genaro Hernandez show … [r6] … [Nelson] finally has that sense of urgency … he took a terrific right hand … doing better in this round … [r7] … including fighting at close range … walking forward … [knockdown] after the bell sounded … Hernandez in trouble … [r8] … [Hernandez] coming out when he doesn’t have to … [r9] … [Nelson] looking for one shot … putting power into those punches … [r10] … [Hernandez] still landing though Azumah coming forward … [r11] … A brilliant tactical fight by Hernandez … Nice left hook by Azumah Nelson … [r12] … I’ve been surprised by the strength of Hernandez tonight … [114-115 Nelson, 116-114 Hernandez, 118-110 Hernandez] US fight commentary