GRi Sports Ghana 13 - 10 - 2000
Boxing-S.Africa's
Thobela charged with assaulting woman
I'll force Percy Commey to retire - Bilal
Mohammed
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 October 2000
Ghana's number one ace table tennis player, Seth Darko, will defend his championship on Friday in a two-day open tournament dubbed National Open Championship at the Sports Hall of the Accra Sports Stadium.
Disclosing this to the GNA Sports in Accra on Thursday, Seth Darko who is also the captain of the national tennis team, said top players like George Antwi-Adjei of Kumasi, Joseph Osei of Ghana Police, Courage Nanavi, Ghana Navy and Rueben Smith of Nigeria are among 100 other players competing.
Darko said the competition will be played on knock out basis but would adopt all play all in the quarterfinal stage.
He said even though he is a veteran player and has all the experience and skills, he would not underrate anybody.
Darko declared that he would do all that he could to retain the championship he won last year saying he was fully prepared to face any challenger.
The competition being organised by Ghana Table Tennis Association is sponsored by Mr. Raphael Brown, vice-chairman of the GTTA and Director of Seven Great Princes School in Dansoman.
At stake are a silver trophy and 500, 000 cedis cash for the winner. The first and second runners-up will receive 200,000 and 100,000 cedis respectively while the rest receive consolation prizes.
Three boys and two girls will represent each region in children's category.
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Boxing-S.Africa's
Thobela charged with assaulting woman
Johannesburg (South Africa) 13
October 2000
World Boxing Council
super-middleweight champion Dingaan Thobela has been accused of assaulting his
sister-in-law, a court official said on Thursday.
"Thobela appeared in court on
Wednesday on an assault charge related to an incident involving his
sister-in-law but the case was postponed until October 26 for further
investigation," an official with the Randburg Magistrate's court told
Reuters.
The official gave no further
details.
The Star newspaper said Thobela,
known as the Rose of Soweto, pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Thobela claimed his third world
title and was crowned WBC super-middleweight champion on September 1 when he
stopped Britain's Glenn Catley in the final round on a technical knock-out.
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I'll force Percy Commey to retire - Bilal
Mohammed
Accra (Greater Accra) 13 October 2000
GNA- Bilal Mohammed, a top contender to the national super featherweight boxing title has said he would force veteran, Percy Commey to quit boxing when they meet in a non title fight on the Ambition Promotions bill at the Kaneshie Sports Complex on November three.
Bilal, who is the son of a former West African lightweight champion, Anthony Joe told GNA Sports on Thursday that he would use Percy as a stepping stone to greatness.
"Percy is an old man. He has outlived his usefulness in boxing and if he doesn't know he has to retire, I'll force him to quit ".
The youthful contender who has a fight record of five fights and five victories, all by knock out said his aim is to be in the world rankings within the next two years and become a world champion by 2003.
"Tell the fans to come to the Complex on fight day and watch a potential world champion end the bluff of Percy. We don't belong to the same category. He is in his twilight and I am up and coming, burning with the zeal to excel. And mind you, I am fit and strong".
Bilal has intensified his training at the sports hall of the Accra Sports Stadium under the tutelage of a team of trainers from the Fire Service Boxing Club.
In the words of George Armah, the leader of the team, Bilal's approach to training is the best he has ever seen since the retirement of Professor Azumah Nelson.
"My ward is a very disciplined boxer. He forces me to lead him to the gym even at odd times. He is very strong and aggressive and his defensive skills are high above average. We are looking beyond Percy Commey. I am working with a world champion".
Mr. Armah called on promoters to give Bilal regular fights in order to make him realise his ambition and bring back the championship belt, which Azumah Nelson had kept in Ghana for many years.
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