A star was born on Showtime Saturday September 29, 2007 as Ghana’s little-known Joseph Agbeko (25-1, 22KO's) outclassed and out punched Nicaragua’s Luis Perez to become IBF bantamweight champion with an overwhelming seven-round victory.

Insiders knew that the New York-based Agbeko was the real thing but I do not think very many people would have expected him to dominate Perez. Agbeko was enormously impressive, and while Chad Dawson did what he had to do in fine style by blowing away the overmatched substitute Epifanio Mendoza, for boxing critics it was the fighter from Ghana who stole the show.

Agbeko was in the tradition of tough, well-schooled boxers from out of Ghana such as the great Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, David “Poison” Kotei, Floyd “Klutei”Robertson, Nana Konadu and, going back a bit, the old "Black Flash" Roy Ankrah (in the days when Ghana was the British colony known as the Gold Coast)

Agbeko’s only loss was on a majority decision to the Ukrainian powerhouse Wladimir Sidorenko in Germany. He has stopped 22 opponents in his 25 wins, most recently winning in seven rounds in Sacramento.

He makes the 1st defense of his title against William Gonzalez (21-2, 19ko's) on the undercard of Cunningham vs Adamek on December 11 as the co-main event at the Prudential Center in Newark in a bout promoted by Don King Productions. A press conference/reception for Agbeko is scheduled  for Friday December 5, 2008 at the Permanent Commission of Ghana to the United Nations at 19 East 47th New York City @ (212) 832-1300.