Ashie wins UBC Super Featherweight Title

Accra, May 16, GNA - Ghana's George Ashie on Saturday annexed the vacant Universal Boxing Council (UBC) Super Featherweight title, with a ninth round technical knock out over his Georgian opponent, George Mchedlishvli at the Ohene Djan Stadium, Accra.

Ashie, who already holds the Africa Boxing Union title, was so strong for his opponent that he dominated the fight right from the start till the close of the ninth round, when Mchedlishvli could not answer the call for the 10th round.

The bout was dubbed: "Battle of the Georges," and put together by the GHALCAL Promotions Syndicate.

The Ghanaian exhibited excellent boxing skills of defending, attacking and delivering punches with the needed accuracy, whilst the Georgian could hardly throw a punch.

It was a virtually one sided fight, as Ashie's dominance in round one, which was characterised by a combination of right and left punches to the ribs and head of the Georgian continued through out the second and third rounds.

But the fourth round saw a close contest between the two boxers, who traded ferocious punches at each other, with Ashie making the most out of the situation by landing more accurate punches than his opponent. Ashie assumed dominance in the fifth round, with a right and left hook to his opponent, compelling Mchedlishvli to visit the canvas for the first time.

He however survived the counts by referee Roger Banor and got back on his feet to continue the fight.

Though Mchedlishvli survived the counts and return to complete the round, he wobbled to his corner after the bell for the end of the fifth round.

Mchedlishvli, made use of the rest of the period and came back much better but was once again subjected to severe punishments on every part of the body that could secure Ashie legal points in the sixth round. The trend remained the same in the seventh round. Ashie could have ended the fight in the eight round, after he pushed his opponent to the corner pummelled him on several occasions without a defence.

The visibly dazed Georgian seemed to be nearing his end, though his endurance and fighting spirit saw him through the round. Failing to recover from the previous round, Mchedlishvli came into the ninth round exhausted and after enduring further beatings from the Ghanaian, he returned to his corner and had no option than to give up when the bell rang for the tenth round.

Ashie, was declared the winner by Referee Barnor, and was decorated with the title by Nii Lante Vanderpuije, Special Aid to the President of Ghana, Joseph Grory Vice President of UBC and members of the Ghana Boxing Authority.

In other championships, Albert Mensah of Will Power Boxing Gym, won with a unanimous decision with a 116-112, 119 -110 and 118-113 over Isaac Quarter of Attoh Quarshie Gym, to be crowned with the World Boxing Association Pan African Super Lightweight title.

Laterkwei Hammond also of Will Power Gym, annexed the WBA Pan African Super Middleweight title in one minute, 23 seconds of the fourth round of his fight against Annicet Amoussou of Benin.

Ghana's Patrick Okine also annexed the WBA Pan African Featherweight title with a split decision of 116-112, 116-113 and 112-117 over Chisbin Vodouhnessi of Benin.

In an eight round contest, Kotey Neequaye of Attoh Quarshie Gym, secured a round one victory in two minutes and nine seconds over Peter Musah of Akotoku, whilst Kofi Manu of Zoom Zoom Gym also had technical knock out over Nii Akrofie of Indigo Gym, in the fourth round of their Welterweight contest.

Ernest Amuzu defeated Anyetei Sowah in two minutes 32 seconds of round one, in a Middleweight contest, with Ishmael Tetteh also winning in round four over John Akulugu in a Welterweight contest, whilst Maxwell Awuku ended the night with a round four technical knock out over Oko Laryea.