Franck Mohanti, left, and Joseph “Junior Bazooka” Antwi, right, and several younger boxers, train in the narrow alley outside of Wisdom Boxing Gym in the Bukom district of Accra, Ghana. More than 15 community gyms like Wisdom and Bronx Boxing Gym are nestled within Bukom’s dense urban landscape, providing spaces for boxers looking to become Ghana’s next world champion. (Photo by Kalani Chai-Andrade/Joy Sports)
Bukom, a coastal fishing neighborhood in Ghana’s capital of Accra, has long been regarded as the nation’s boxing mecca.
The district has produced eight of Ghana’s eleven boxing world champions.
In March 2025, the tragic death of Nigerian boxer Gabriel Aluwasegun Olanrewaju during a fight in Accra led to the suspension of professional boxing in Ghana.
The Ghana Boxing Authority was forced to reevaluate its safety protocols and alignment with international standards, while boxers were left without a major platform to fight, earn income, or progress in their careers.
Photographed in July-August, nearly five months without sanctioned matches, this project explores the community of Bukom and those who waited in the ring.
See photos by Joy Sports’ Kalani Chai-Andrade:
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DISCLAIMER: The Views, Comments, Opinions, Contributions and Statements made by Readers and Contributors on this platform do not necessarily represent the views or policy of Multimedia Group Limited.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com