By Prince Dornu-Leiku | July 18, 2011
After claiming the IBF International Light Welterweight belt last Friday, Ghana’s Albert Mensah has demanded a fight for the world title any time soon.
The Ghanaian nicknamed Tornado improved to 24-3-1 (10 KOs) following a Majority Decision win over Iraq-born Canadian Andre Gorges in his first fight in the USA at the Club Chicago, Burbank, Illinois.
According to fight reports, Mensah was impressive throughout with hooks and uppercuts against the aggressive Gorges and looked a clear winner reflected on scores of 117-111, 117-111, but one judge saw it 114-114.
Gorges had beaten former WBO light welter champ DeMarcus Corley in his last fight.
That was also the 14th consecutive wins for Mensah who also holds the WPBF, WBA Pan African as well as ABU Light Welterweight belts, but he says he wants more.
“I thought I would get the fight easy but it wasn’t the case. Andre Gorges is tough.
“We are moving forward, right now I will train hard and keep moving forward because I want the world title. I am ready,” Albert Mensah told SportsinGhana.com from his US base.
Trained by Joseph Awinongya (owner of Will County Boxing gym, a haven for Ghanaian boxers) , Albert Mensah also gives credit to Napoleon Tagoe, his previous coach residing in Ghana as well as Sam Colona, Cutman acting coach and Mentor Justus Agbeko.
He said of Awinongya: “Joseph is a good man, he helps me a lot, connecting me with the biggest promoter (Cynthia Tolaymat) and manager (Wasfi Tolaymat) in the Midwest. Joseph prepared me well for the fight.”
And the coach is also backing his prodigy to go all the way in world boxing.
“It is hard adjusting to the American style of Boxing. Mensah did well and you can expect to see him in even better condition and with more lighting speed as he progresses,” Mr. Awinongya said confidently.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
