Ayikwei (second left) with Oko Nartey. With them are (right) Alhaji Tofic, Neequaye, John Manful and others
Ghana’s super middleweight boxer, Prince Oko Nartey, has struck a managerial deal with businessman Daniel Ayikwei at the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) Secretariat, Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra.
Signed early this week, the three-year deal will see Mr. Ayikwei supporting the boxer with monthly income and other needs.
Announcing the partnership, Mr. Ayikwei said the decision to go into management was informed by the desire to help the young boxer to realize his potential.
He said, “it was a big decision for me to make because the behaviour of boxers in such relationships is not encouraging but I conducted my own checks and concluded Nartey is a disciplined boxer and different.”
To him, the relationship will be more like “a father and son or one of brothers. I don’t want that boxer-manager relationship that sometimes creates some anxiety for the boxer.”
He added “I have studied the contract and will abide by all the demands in there. I want to assure the boxer that my support for him will go beyond what is captured in the contract. All I demand from him is that he will keep working hard to be named among the world champions of Ghana.”
The businessman promised to get the boxer a personal doctor and other important things he would need to reach the height of his career and called for the support of the GBA and his technical team to play their respective roles to make a new champion for Ghana.
The boxer who is being trained by coach Ebenezer Adjei expressed his appreciation to his new boss and pledged to repay the confidence reposed in him by getting to the top of his career.
President of the GBA Abraham Kotey Neequaye in a solidarity message urged the two parties to work hard to push the boxer to the international stage.