Boxing legend Azumah Nelson has been named Ghana’s greatest sportsperson of all time at the 50th Sports Writers Association of Ghana (SWAG) Awards, honouring a career that saw him become a two-weight world champion and Africa’s most celebrated boxer.
The 67-year-old, who retired in 2008 after nearly three decades in the ring, received the All Time Sports Personality accolade at Saturday’s ceremony at the Accra International Conference Centre, with Vice President Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang presenting the award. The recognition crowns a remarkable journey that transformed a boy from Accra into one of boxing’s most revered champions.
Vice President Prof Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang, representing President John Dramani Mahama, and Gianni Merlo, president of the International Sports Press Association (AIPS), were among the dignitaries who witnessed Nelson’s coronation as Ghana’s sporting great.
Born on 19 July 1958 in Accra, Nelson earned the nickname “The Professor” for his intelligent, technical approach to boxing. His professional record of 39 wins – 28 by knockout – six losses and two draws tells only part of the story of a fighter who held world titles across two weight divisions.
Nelson captured the WBC featherweight championship between 1984 and 1987 before moving up to dominate the super-featherweight division, where he held the WBC title from 1988 to 1997, winning it twice. His reign at super-featherweight established him as one of the division’s most formidable champions.
Before turning professional in 1979, Nelson had already announced himself on the international stage, winning gold medals at both the 1978 All-Africa Games and 1978 Commonwealth Games in the featherweight division. SWAG first recognised his talent that same year, awarding him Amateur Boxer of the Year – a relationship that has culminated nearly five decades later in this ultimate honour.
His legendary battles against some of boxing’s finest – including Wilfredo Gómez, Salvador Sánchez, Jeff Fenech and Pernell Whitaker – captivated not just Ghana but the entire African continent. Ghanaians would stay awake into the late hours to watch “The Professor” defend national pride in rings around the world.
Nelson’s achievements extend far beyond his championship belts. In 2004, he became the first and only Ghanaian inducted into the International Boxing Hall of Fame. That same year, the WBC named him the Greatest Super Featherweight Boxer of All-Time. He was later inducted into the Nevada Boxing Hall of Fame in 2020, whilst BoxRec ranks him as the 31st greatest pound-for-pound boxer of all time.
The golden jubilee edition of the SWAG Awards celebrated excellence across multiple sports disciplines. Football legend Abedi Pele was named Most Outstanding Footballer in the Past 50 Years, whilst Asamoah Gyan, Dede Ayew, Stephen Appiah and Nii Ayibontey received Lifetime Achievement Awards.
Michael Essien, Kwadwo Asamoah, Samuel Osei Kuffour, Margaret Simpson, Adwoa Bayor and Alberta Sackey were honoured as 50th Anniversary Ambassadors. Evans Yeboah was named Sports Administrator of the Year. Ghanaian music icon Stonebwoy performed at the event, underscoring the convergence of sports and culture in celebrating Ghana’s achievements.
Nelson’s influence extends beyond the ring. The Azumah Nelson Sports Complex in Kaneshie, Accra, stands as a testament to his impact on Ghanaian sports infrastructure. Following his retirement at age 50, he dedicated himself to nurturing the next generation of Ghanaian boxers, including training his own son.
His life story, chronicled in Ashley Morrison’s 2014 biography “The Professor – The Life Story of Azumah Nelson”, serves as inspiration for aspiring athletes across Africa. In July 2018, dignitaries and boxing enthusiasts gathered at the Bukom Boxing Arena to celebrate his 60th birthday, a fitting tribute to a man who brought Ghana to the world stage.
SWAG’s decision to name Nelson as Ghana’s greatest sports personality of all time reflects more than his championship belts and knockout victories. It acknowledges his role as a trailblazer who transformed how Africa is viewed in global sports, his unwavering national pride and his ability to inspire generations of Ghanaians to believe that greatness is achievable.
As Leon Muhammad, a member of the New Jersey Boxing Hall of Fame, once declared after watching another Ghanaian boxer: “There’s only one Azumah Nelson.”
Indeed, in Ghana’s sporting history, there is no greater name. The 50th SWAG Awards marked a milestone in celebrating Ghanaian sports excellence, and Nelson’s recognition as the greatest of all time ensures that “The Professor’s” legacy will continue to inspire for generations to come.
