Boxing Gala Night : Joseph Bessala Honoured

The works of the late Cameroonian boxer, Joseph Bessala, are still remembered in Cameroon and elsewhere. Many may not know him but he won the first Olympic medal for Africa in the -67kg welter weight in 1968 in Mexico Olympic Games. It is in this light that an international boxing gala night in memory of Joseph Bessala fondly called “Grand Jo” took place in Yaounde on Sunday December 15, 2019. Oganised by the African Boxing International Association (ABIA), the competition brought together boxers from Gabon, Central African Republic and Cameroon. 
The competition unfolded in the amateurs and neo-professional categories. A total of 16 fights were on programme; five for the neo-professionals and 11 for the amateurs. In the 52kg amateur fight Cameroon’s Wanko Brice beat Ali Issa equally from Cameroon. In the 57kg Gabon’s Zengue Tidiane beat Cameroon’s Beloko Moinam. The Promoter of ABIA, Parfait Amougou said the association decided to honour Joseph Bessala because he was the first to lift Cameroon amateur boxing to a higher level. He said the objective is to improve the image of Cameroon boxing and to detect talents who can represent Cameroon in major international competitions. He said ABIA has decided to support Cameroonian an...