World Boxing Organisation super bantamweight champion Isaac Dogboe feels he is not getting the credit he deserves back home, despite “reviving Ghana boxing.”
Dogboe successfully defended his WBO title against Japan’s Hidenori Otake with a first round knockout on Saturday to widespread celebrations back home, but says he and his father Paul, who is also his trainer, have largely been neglected financially.
“We’ve lost a lot of money and we are in debt and it is reflecting on my father,” Dogboe told local radio station Kasapa FM.
“They tend to forget the hard work he put in, where we came from and where we are today. He is not getting the recognition he deserves.”
The 23-year-old became Ghana’s youngest boxing world champion when he won the title in April, but he feels his success is not reflecting in a financial sense.
“We have revived boxing and we should not be on the losing end,” he said. “We should have sponsorships, people willing to come in. We have put the nation on an international platform again.
“We have portrayed the nation in a positive manner. However, we don’t feel like we are getting the credit we deserve. We have put our blood and sweat into reviving boxing in Ghana. What is the reward for that? Nothing.”
Dogboe, who grew up in London before returning to Ghana to shape his boxing career, also feels his European education may have contributed to his lack of appeal within the Ghanaian boxing community.
“The Ghana boxing community and Team Dogboe, for some reason seems like there is a conflict between us,” he added.
“I don’t know where that is coming from and how that came about. Maybe it is because I am not from [boxing-mad suburb of Accra] Bukom, maybe it is because I am not one of the fighters who grew up fighting from Bukom, I don’t know.”