Alfred Kotey Interview
By Ike Enwereuzor
Jacboxing@hotmail.com
22.09.01 - Former WBO Bantamweight
champion Alfred Kotey now (24-7-1) with 15KO's
from Accra, Ghana currently managed by Yoofi
Boham will square off against unbeaten WBO jr
lightweight Acelino Freitas of Salvador, Brazil
(29-0) 29KO's in a non title 10 rounder on september
29, at Miccosukee Indian Gaming in Miami, Florida.
This event will be televised Live on Showtime
and around the world.
Kotey, the oldest of 5 brothers
and 4 sisters also held the British Commonwealth
belt and WBC International. Kotey represented
his Country, Ghana in 1988 Olympic Game. He
captured the WBF lightweight title on April
7 when he TKO'ed Anthony Maynard in the 6th
round in Wembley, England.
The WBF lightweight champion
started his professional career on November
20, 1988 after the Olympics with an impressive
first round knockout of Viper Tagoe.
He won his fight WBO world title
at batamweight July 30, 1994 with a 12 rounds
decision over Rafael Del Valle. Now at lightweight,
Kotey's future plans is to step down in weigh,
maybe to 126 pounds and contest for another
world championship before he retires. "I
want to take on all champions at featherweight
before I quit boxing, said Kotey. "I most
had a chance to fight Prince Naseem Hamed but
I know I'll fight for the title again soon."
The former WBO champ is currently
preparing for his September fight at Gleanson
Boxing Gym in New York. Here's what the former
world champion had to say.....
How is preparation going
for your upcoming fight with WBO jr lightweight
champ Acelino Freitas in Miami, Florida sept
29?
We've been training hard for about a month now.
I wish this fight September 29 was a title fight.
I'm prepared for anything but I know I'm going
to win. I'm only scared of the judges not the
fighter. I've a lot of experience in the ring
he can't do anything to me. I'm going to surprise
people. I thank the promoters and Showtime for
this opportunity. I was sparring with WBO Super
bantam champ Agapito Sanchez, Bantam world Champ
Mauricio Martinez and others.
Please, tell us your thoughts
of Freitas?
He's a good fighter but looks like a rough fighter.
I'll have something for him that night in the
ring. He's a strong guy and push you back but
he hasn't fought Alfred Kotey yet. The guys
he fought in past I'll beat all of them because
I'm a veteran in this game of Boxing.
What do you want to tell
your fans?
I love my fans and want to tell all of them
including Ghanaians that I'll do my best and
I'll surprise Freitas. Everyone will be happy
after this fight. I want to thank them for their
support. Again, I wish this was a title fight.
I want fans to come see a great fight or tune
in on Showtime.
How would you describe your
last fight April with Anthony Maynard in Wembley,
England?
Good fight for me. I won the WBF lightweight
by stopping him in 6. I may move down to featherweight
to fight all the champions.
Tell us about your contest
for the British Commonwealth title?
It was an easy fight for me, that guy wasn't
in my class.
What was your fight Rafael
Del Valle for the WBO bantamweight belt like?
He was good but I dropped him, he got up and
stay up thoughout the 12 rounds. For the WBC
International the promoter Frank Warren wanted
me to loose so I couldn't challenge Prince Hamed,
he knew I was good enough to beat Hamed but
after a lost I never got fight for two years
but I had a 3 years contact with them. I hate
the politics in Boxing. In fact, if you watch
the fight you'll see that I didn't loose that
fight.
Your impression of Ghanaian
fighters like Ike Quartey & Azumah Nelson?
Quartey was my team mate in 1988 Olympics, he's
got money now. I don't think he wants to fight
anymore. We're good friends and we did a lot
of thing together in amateurs. Azumah's doing
fine in Ghana, he has his own gym and trainers
working for him. He was a boxing "Professor"
like everyone in the world knows. I learn a
lot from him. I'm very good like these guys
too but I never had a good promoter like Quartey
and Azumah did, that's my problem in this sports.
If I had a good promoter I would have gone far.
What was your amateur record?
I started boxing in Ghana and had a record of
35-4. I won several medals, I won Gold in Holland
2 Bronze in Cuba and more.
What do you think of boxing
in Africa?
Our people love boxing too but Boxing needs
help in Africa our leaders don't invest enough
money in boxing. They think boxing is for street
boys, they don't realise that it's a sports.
It can change peoples life but they need to
give our youth the opportunity to go outside
Africa and put their Country on the map. I hope
that African boxers home and abroad can assist
to better the sports in Africa. Even, the Chairman
of Boxing in Ghana don't let boxers travel anymore.
What's your prediction of
the Hopkins-Trinidad bout?
I think Trinidad will beat Hopkins but it will
be a rough fight.
Thanks for taking out time
to chat with us, Best of luck!
Take care, Ike
