Azumah Nelson

Azumah Nelson (born 19 July 1958, affectionately known as the Professor)<ref name=":0">Template:Cite web</ref> is a Ghanaian former professional boxer who competed from 1979 to 2008. He was a two-weight world champion, having held the WBC featherweight title from 1984 to 1987 and the WBC super-featherweight title twice between 1988 and 1997. He also challenged once for the unified WBC and IBF lightweight titles in 1990. At regional level, he held the ABU, and Commonwealth featherweight titles between 1980 and 1982. Widely considered one of the greatest African boxers of all time,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref><ref>Template:Cite news</ref> he is currently ranked as the 69th greatest pound for pound boxer of all time by BoxRec.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Career

Nelson competed at the 1978 All-Africa Games and 1978 Commonwealth Games,<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> winning gold medals in featherweight at both events. He was awarded Amateur Boxer of the year by the Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) that same year.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

However, Nelson was virtually unknown outside Ghana.<ref name="Michael Katz">Template:Cite news</ref> Because of this, he was a decisive underdog when, on short notice, he challenged WBC featherweight champion Salvador Sánchez on 21 July 1982 at the Madison Square Garden in New York.<ref name="Michael Katz"/> Nelson lost the fight by 15th-round technical knockout.

Featherweight champion

Nelson won all four of his fights in 1983, and he began 1984 by beating Hector Cortez by decision on 9 March in Las Vegas. Then, on 8 December of that year, he became boxing royalty by knocking out Wilfredo Gómez in round 11 to win the WBC featherweight championship.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref> Behind on the three judges' scorecards, Nelson rallied in that round to become champion in Puerto Rico.

Super-featherweight champion

Template:Main Nelson began 1988 by defeating Mario Martinez by a split decision over 12 rounds in Los Angeles to win the vacant WBC super-featherweight title. Nelson was dropped in the 10th round of their encounter, and the decision was not well received.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

On 1 December 1995, defeated world champion Gabriel Ruelas in the fifth round to claim the title.<ref>Template:Cite news</ref>

His first defense took place almost a year later, when he and Jesse James Leija had their third bout. Nelson retained the title with a sixth-round knockout. That was the only fight Nelson had in 1996, as had become his custom.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

In 1997, Nelson lost the Lineal & WBC titles to Genaro Hernandez when he beaten on points after twelve rounds.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Legacy

The Azumah Nelson Sports Complex at Kaneshie in Accra was named after him.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Biography

In 2014, a biography of Azumah Nelson was published. Written by Ashley Morrison, it was titled "The Professor - The Life Story of Azumah Nelson" (Template:ISBN) was published by Strategic Book Publishing.

Personal life

Nelson has six children.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref> Currently married to Priscilla Boakye Nelson.Template:Cn

In July 2018, Azumah organized a fight night to celebrate his 60th birthday at the Bukom Boxing Arena. This event brought together fighters from highly-rated gyms in the country to fight contenders in their divisions. Some dignitaries, including formers sports ministers Nii Lante Vanderpuiye and Nii Amarkai Amarteifio, the British High Commissioner to Ghana Ian Walker, and Peter Zwennes, the president of the Ghana Boxing Authority, graced the occasion. In all, there were five bouts, three of which were won by knockout.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

Professional boxing record

No	Result	Record	Opponent	Type	Round, time	Date	Location	Notes
46	Template:No2Loss	Template:Nowrap	Jeff Fenech	MD	10	24 Jun 2008	Template:Small
45	Template:No2Loss	38–5–2	Jesse James Leija	UD	12	11 Jul 1998	Template:Small
44	Template:No2Loss	38–4–2	Genaro Hernández	SD	12	22 Mar 1997	Template:Small	Template:Small
43	Template:Yes2Win	38–3–2	Jesse James Leija	TKO	6 (12), Template:Small	1 Jun 1996	Template:Small	Template:Small
42	Template:Yes2Win	37–3–2	Gabriel Ruelas	TKO	5 (12), Template:Small	1 Dec 1995	Template:Small	Template:Small
41	Template:No2Loss	36–3–2	Jesse James Leija	UD	12	7 May 1994	Template:Small	Template:Small
40	Template:DrawDraw	36–2–2	Jesse James Leija	SD	12	10 Sep 1993	Template:Small	Template:Small
39	Template:Yes2Win	36–2–1	Gabriel Ruelas	MD	12	20 Feb 1993	Template:Small	Template:Small
38	Template:Yes2Win	35–2–1	Calvin Grove	UD	12	7 Nov 1992	Template:Small	Template:Small
37	Template:Yes2Win	34–2–1	Jeff Fenech	TKO	8 (12), Template:Small	1 Mar 1992	Template:Small	Template:Small
36	Template:DrawDraw	33–2–1	Jeff Fenech	SD	12	28 Jun 1991	Template:Small	Template:Small
35	Template:Yes2Win	33–2	Daniyal Mustapha Ennin	KO	4 (10)	16 Mar 1991	Template:Small
34	Template:Yes2Win	32–2	Juan Laporte	UD	12	13 Oct 1990	Template:Small	Template:Small
33	Template:No2Loss	31–2	Pernell Whitaker	UD	12	19 May 1990	Template:Small	Template:Small
32	Template:Yes2Win	31–1	Jim McDonnell	KO	12 (12), Template:Small	5 Nov 1989	Template:Small	Template:Small
31	Template:Yes2Win	30–1	Mario Martínez	TKO	12 (12), Template:Small	25 Feb 1989	Template:Small	Template:Small
30	Template:Yes2Win	29–1	Sidnei Dal Rovere	KO	3 (12), Template:Small	10 Dec 1988	Template:Small	Template:Small
29	Template:Yes2Win	28–1	Lupe Suarez	TKO	9 (12), Template:Small	25 Jun 1988	Template:Small	Template:Small
28	Template:Yes2Win	27–1	Mario Martínez	SD	12	29 Feb 1988	Template:Small	Template:Small
27	Template:Yes2Win	26–1	Marcos Villasana	UD	12	29 Aug 1987	Template:Small	Template:Small
26	Template:Yes2Win	25–1	Mauro Gutierrez	KO	6 (12), Template:Small	7 Mar 1987	Template:Small	Template:Small
25	Template:Yes2Win	24–1	Danilo Cabrera	TKO	10 (12), Template:Small	22 Jun 1986	Template:Small	Template:Small
24	Template:Yes2Win	23–1	Marcos Villasana	MD	12	25 Feb 1986	Template:Small	Template:Small
23	Template:Yes2Win	22–1	Pat Cowdell	KO	1 (12), Template:Small	12 Oct 1985	Template:Small	Template:Small
22	Template:Yes2Win	21–1	Juvenal Ordenes	TKO	5 (12), Template:Small	6 Sep 1985	Template:Small	Template:Small
21	Template:Yes2Win	20–1	Wilfredo Gómez	KO	11 (12), Template:Small	8 Dec 1984	Template:Small	Template:Small
20	Template:Yes2Win	19–1	Hector Cortez	UD	10	9 Mar 1984	Template:Small
19	Template:Yes2Win	18–1	Kabiru Akindele	KO	9 (15)	25 Nov 1983	Template:Small	Template:Small
18	Template:Yes2Win	17–1	Alberto Collazo	TKO	2 (10), Template:Small	23 Sep 1983	Template:Small
17	Template:Yes2Win	16–1	Alvin Fowler	TKO	2 (10), Template:Small	17 Aug 1983	Template:Small
16	Template:Yes2Win	15–1	Ricky Wallace	UD	10	12 Feb 1983	Template:Small
15	Template:Yes2Win	14–1	Irving Mitchell	TKO	5 (10), Template:Small	31 Oct 1982	Template:Small
14	Template:No2Loss	13–1	Salvador Sánchez	TKO	15 (15), Template:Small	21 Jul 1982	Template:Small	Template:Small
13	Template:Yes2Win	13–0	Mukaila Bukare	TKO	6 (10)	26 Jun 1982	Template:Small
12	Template:Yes2Win	12–0	Charm Chiteule	TKO	10 (15)	28 Feb 1982	Template:Small	Template:Small
11	Template:Yes2Win	11–0	Kabiru Akindele	KO	6 (15)	4 Dec 1981	Template:Small	Template:Small
10	Template:Yes2Win	10–0	Brian Roberts	TKO	5 (15)	26 Sep 1981	Template:Small	Template:Small
9	Template:Yes2Win	9–0	Miguel Ruiz	TKO	4 (10)	18 Aug 1981	Template:Small
8	Template:Yes2Win	8–0	Don George	KO	5 (10), Template:Small	2 May 1981	Template:Small
7	Template:Yes2Win	7–0	Aziza Bossou	PTS	8	6 Mar 1981	Template:Small
6	Template:Yes2Win	6–0	Joe Skipper	TKO	10 (12)	13 Dec 1980	Template:Small	Template:Small
5	Template:Yes2Win	5–0	David Capo	PTS	10	4 Oct 1980	Template:Small
4	Template:Yes2Win	4–0	Abdul Rahman Optoki	TKO	8 (12)	2 Aug 1980	Template:Small	Template:Small
3	Template:Yes2Win	3–0	Henry Saddler	TKO	9 (12)	1 Mar 1980	Template:Small	Template:Small
2	Template:Yes2Win	2–0	Nii Nuer	TKO	3 (8)	2 Feb 1980	Template:Small
1	Template:Yes2Win	1–0	Billy Kwame	PTS	10	1 Dec 1979	Template:Small

See also

• List of featherweight boxing champions
• List of super featherweight boxing champions
• List of WBA world champions
• List of WBC world champions

External links

• Template:Boxrec
• Azumah Nelson - CBZ Profile