Former world champion Alfred 'Cobra' Kotey passes away aged 52

Former world champion Alfred 'Cobra' Kotey passes away aged 52

Ghana's fifth world champion, Alfred Kotey (26-16-1, 17KOs), known during his glittering career as the 'Cobra', reportedly passed away on Tuesday, June 30, 2020 in the Bronx, New York, after battling with illness.

Born June 3, 1968, Kotey was a born in Bukom, and represented Ghana as a flyweight at the Seoul 1988 Summer Olympics and held the WBO Bantamweight Championship in 1994.

The 5ft 5in talented boxer shot to fame in 1994 when he defeated Puerto Rican Rafael Del Valle in London on July 30 to become Ghana's first WBO champion. He defended the title twice before conceding it October 1995.

He later took Juan Manuel Marquez the distance over 12-rounds in 1997 in a WBO NABO featherweight title fight, which he lost on points.

MTK Global's International Consultant, Mike Altamura, led the tributes with: "Saddened to hear the passing of former WBO World bantamweight champ Alfred "Cobra" Kotey. Just 42. Al was a proud product of Ghana's Bukom region, renowned for his high guard defensive craft."

The World Boxing Organization also added, "The WBO family is deeply saddened by the passing of the great Alfred Kotey, the organization's first World Champion from Ghana. Kotey defeated Rafael Del Valle to win the Bantam crown on July 30th, 1994. May he rest in peace."

Boxing News Now would like to extend their condolences to Alfred's friends and family.

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