Jessie Manyo Plange voted best Professional Boxer of the year 2020 by Boxing Writers Association Ghana

Plange and Takyi Voted Best Boxers in 2020 by Boxing Writers Association Ghana

By Sammy Heywood Okine 

The Tony Tolj managed boxer, currently ranked WBA #3, Jesse Manyo Plange (21-0-1, 17KOs) has been voted overwhelmingly as best Professional Boxer of the year 2020 by the Boxing Writers Association Ghana (BWAG).

The 33-year-old from Accra, known as ‘Black Flash’, won the prestigious taward over contenders like WBO super bantamweight Global champion Wasiru ‘Gyatabi’ Mohammed; highly rated two times former IBF world champion Joseph ‘Fresh King Kong’ Agbeko; former IBO lightweight champion Emmanuel ‘Game Boy’ Tagoe, and former WBO super bantamweight champion Isaac ‘Royal Storm’ Dogboe; who all made the top five.

Plange won both his fights in 2020, firstly in January against 9-1 prospect Sherif Kareem to win the West African Boxing Union super-flyweight title; then he closed the year in style with a unanimous decision over former WBC International champion Alexis Boureima Kabore (28-3).

The award winner is hoping for big fights in 2021 and has already issued a challenge to WBA World ruler Guillermo Rigondeaux (20-1).

In the other awards, Coach of the Year was shared between Carl Lokko of the Bronx Gym and Lartekwei Lartey of the Fit Square Gym.

Promoter of the Year went to Box Office headed by Mr. Alex Ntiamoah, with Manager of the year going to Mr. Ivan Bruce Cudjoe of Cabic Management fame for managing to organize the broadcast of the Boxing Day Rumble on GTV Sports Plus.

Boxing Referee / Judge of the Year was taken by Erasmus Owoo.

Special Appreciation Awards went to Mr. Ben Nunoo Mensah, President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC), the Ghana Boxing Supporters Union (GBSU) and Mr. D. A. Annan, an official of the GBA.

In the amateur division, the Best Boxer went to 20 year old Samuel Takyi aka ‘Ring Warrior’ who has qualified for the Tokyo Olympic Games.

Prince ‘The Buzz’ Larbie was voted as the Best Juvenile Boxer.

Best Boxing Facility went to the Bukom Boxing Arena inside the Trust Sports Emporium in Accra.

Mustapha Nettey, a member of the Boxing Writers Association Ghana, said the year under review was very challenging as Covid-19 did not allow many boxing events to be held, however those who excelled in the nine categories must be recognized and rewarded.

He hoped that the Awards will get better as the years roll on.

“This is our premier programme and all the winners will receive plaques, we hope to celebrate our boxing heroes the best way that we can,” he commented.

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