International Boxing Federation (IBF) bantamweight champion, Joeph ‘Fresh King’ Agbeko returned home yesterday from New York with good news — that his much-awaited title defence against William Gonzalez, will come off on August 2 in Puerto Rico.
The champion signed a contract to this effect late last week ahead of his departure from New York for the defence which will be staged at the Auditorio Juan Pachin Vicens in Ponce, Puerto Rico.
The fight, originally scheduled for July 12 in London, had to be re-scheduled due to some promotional hitches.
Speaking to the Daily Graphic, moments after his arrival in Accra, Agbeko said he and fellow Ghanaian Joshua Clottey would give Ghanaians a double dose of joy on August 2 since the latter has an IBF welterweight title shot in Las Vegas on the same date.
“I will retain my title against Gonzalez while Joshua clinches the vacant IBF welterweight title against Zab Judah in Las Vegas,” he said.
Agbeko who was recently named the best puncher in the bantamweight division for the year 2007 by world acclaimed boxing journal, The Ring Magazine, has also been listed for a national award.
By this feat, Agbeko joins former boxing greats, Azumah Nelson and Ike ‘Bazooka’ Quartey who have been honoured by the magazine as well as the Republic of Ghana for their exploits in the sport.
The 28-year-old Ghanaian snatched the IBF title from then champion, Luis Alberto Perez after knocking him out in round seven of their bout staged in Sacramento, California in September last year. Agbeko has since not fought.
“This has come as a big relief for me because I was very frustrated. I am home for the National Awards Ceremony for which I have been nominated.
I am very grateful to the President and the people of Ghana for this honour,” he said.
He is expected leave for his New York base in a fortnight’s time.
Story by Nathaniel Attoh
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