Super bantamweight boxer Daniel Nii Otoo Ankrah delivered a stunning performance to dethrone Cann Kotey Neequaye in a dramatic showdown to become Ghana’s super bantamweight champion.
The intense battle fought under the bright lights of the Bukom Boxing Arena saw Otoo outclass the defending champion with relentless pressure and precision.
Cann Neequaye, known for his resilience, struggled to match Otoo’s pace and tactical brilliance.
As the final bell rang, the judges’ decision confirmed what the roaring crowd had witnessed, Ghana had a new super bantamweight king.
With this victory, Daniel Nii Otoo Ankrah cements his place among the division’s top contenders while Cann Kotei Neequaye faces a tough road back to reclaim his lost glory.
At 19, super bantamweight Cann boasted a 15-0 record with a 66.67 per cent KO rate and was seeking to increase his tally to 16 with a successful defence of his title.
He made his debut in March 2023 against Mumuni Sewado and fought nine fights in the same year, followed by six bouts in 2024.
His 20-year-old opponent, Daniel Nii Otoo Ankrah, though a senior by age and experience, had won 6 pro fights and lost 2 and was considered the underdog.
Nii Otoo made his debut in February 2022 and lost his two bouts that year against formidable Adam Hab-Deen Salanon and Jerry Klutei Robertson.
He, however, got his first pro-win in January 2023, against Simon Tackie, and had only three fights in the year.
Daniel Otoo, unlike the now-dethroned national champion, in 2024 had only three fights, all of which he again won and ranked with a 66.67 per cent KO rate by Boxrec.
The Independence Day encounter between the two was not without controversies.
Cann Kotei Neequaye went down twice in rounds 2 and 3 but referee Nathaniel Obeng ruled the first out as not a knockdown.
He went ahead to warn Daniel at the least instances, prompting a protest from Nii Otoo’s corner.
Two of the cornermen jumped onto the ring in their quest to show their anger over what they considered biased officiating from referee Obeng, a situation which could have resulted in Daniel Otoo being declared the loser.
According to boxing rules, if a member of a boxer’s corner enters the ring during an ongoing fight, the boxer is subject to immediate disqualification, resulting in a loss. This is considered a major foul, a violation or a signal that the fighter is giving up, and the referee has the authority to immediately stop the fight and declare the opponent the winner by disqualification
However, the referee chose to ignore all this perhaps because of the high stakes.
Then the final straw that broke the camel’s back was when the championship scheduled for twelve rounds ended in the tenth with one of the judges scoring a win for the defending champion against the obvious.
While the decision remains a talking point, one fact is undisputed, Ghana has a new super bantamweight champion.
It was, however, a night to remember with a record crowd in attendance.
By Peter Quao Adattor
