[ 2011-11-22 ]

D.K Poison feels hurt Ghana still owes him

D.K Poison: Ghana has failed me
At the height of his professional career, David
Kotey, aka D. K Poison, the first Ghanaian to win
a world boxing title, was cherished and loved by
Ghanaians but since his fortunes plummeted, the
one- time hero has been totally forgotten.

The Adabraka-born boxer attended the Government
Boys School, now Kinbu JSS. D. K Poison became
Ghana’s featherweight champion in 1966. He then
proceeded to win the African Boxing Union (ABU)
featherweight title after stopping Taher Hassan in
the first round of their bout to annex the ABU
featherweight title in Tunisia. This was after
then Head of State; Gen Acheampong, also an avowed
sports man, felt there was the need to put Ghana
on the world map through sports, particularly
boxing.

The world title then became the next target for D.
K after winning the ABU featherweight title but
the authorities thought it was wise to give him a
shot at the Commonwealth title which he executed
to perfection by stopping Scottish David Armstrong
in the 10th round at the El-Wak Stadium. This
paved the way for the young energetic D. K Poison
to take a shot at the world title, which he won on
20 September 1975 and became the first Ghanaian
boxer in history to win a world title.

Unfortunately, he only held the title for a year
before losing it to Danny Lopez.

When The Globe visited him at his Teshie
residence, a very lively D. K Poison not looking
at all like he’s lost any of the spark that made
him a world champion some years back, appeared at
the door bare-chested with a ready to fight smile
on his face.

D.K. Poison ruled the world in the '70s
When asked what he had been doing since he retired
from boxing, he just smiled and replied I just
love boxing.

“I love boxing that’s why I got into it he
said. I didn’t go into boxing because of the
money like we have now all over the world. Back in
the days, boxing was taken a lot more serious than
it is now. I remember making the trip from Nima
where I resided, to Kotobabi for training every
day.

“People thought I was crazy then but I loved the
sport but now it’s gotten to the stage and
period where boxing has become a money making
machine. I will advise anyone who is boxing or who
wishes to be a boxer to train seriously. Ghana has
come far in boxing and that has to be maintained I
may not have been fortunate like most of these
guys and as a former boxer I can only give them
words of encouragement,” he said.

On the issue of some outstanding debt owed him by
the state, the former world champion refused to
comment. He only said, “I think this is my
destiny and I feel hurt when I think about it.
”

History indeed remains forever, otherwise some of
us wouldn’t have known that D. K once
single-handedly played the role of the
International Monetary Fund and the World Bank to
boost the economy of Ghana by providing hard
currency (in US dollars) from proceeds of his
fights to partially boost the economy of Ghana
during the Acheampong era. He retired from active
boxing in 1989.

Source - The Globe

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