GHANA’S Emmanuel Tagoe won the vacant International Boxing Organisation (IBO) lightweight belt when he completely dominated South Africa’s Mzonke Fana over 12 rounds to score a unanimous points decision at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, Ghana, at the weekend.
Fana collapsed just after the final bell in Friday’s fight, but doctors at ringside managed to revive him before he was taken to hospital by ambulance.
The 29-year-old Tagoe made a fast start and knocked Fana down twice in the first round.
However, the 43-year-old Fana, a former two-time International Boxing Federation junior lightweight champion using all his skills accumulated in a 22-year professional career, fought back to survive 12 rounds.
The younger and stronger Tagoe, whose only loss came in his first fight, controlled the action throughout and it was only a matter of survival for the gutsy South African.
Interestingly, in the latest IBO rankings Tagoe is listed at No 19 and Fana at No 35, yet they were contesting the vacant title. – SUPERSPORT.COM