Ben NunooMensah Mensah pledges cash reward for boxer Amadu Mohammed as Ghana pins medal hopes on bantamweight star

The immediate past President of the Ghana Olympic Committee (GOC) and current Vice Chairman of the ANOCA Marketing Commission, Mr Ben Nunoo Mensah, has thrown his weight behind Ghana’s sole remaining boxing medal hopeful at the ongoing 2026 Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, promising a substantial cash reward for Amadu Mohammed should he climb the podium.

Mr Mensah has pledged GH¢15,000 if the bantamweight boxer wins gold, GH¢10,000 for silver, and GH¢5,000 for bronze. The announcement came during a courtesy call on HRM King Tackie Teiko Tsuru II and the Ga Traditional Council following his return to Ghana.

A Leader with a Winning Pedigree

The former GOC capo, known in chieftaincy circles as HRH Nii Kojo Ashifie Papanyira I, is the Noryaa Mantse of the Ga State and Special Aide to the King of Accra. His tenure at the helm of Ghana’s Olympic movement was marked by significant achievements, including Samuel Takyi’s historic bronze medal at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games – which ended the country’s 29-year medal drought at the global sports fiesta – as well as five medals (two silver and three bronze) at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, UK, and an impressive haul at the 13th African Games hosted in Accra in March 2024.

Beyond his sports administration roles, Mr Mensah serves as a Board Member of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR) and is a member of both the ANOCA Games Commission and the Working Group on the African Games.

Amadu Mohammed: Africa’s Finest Bantamweight

Amadu Mohammed, a product of the Sea View Boxing Gym at Jamestown in Accra, is Ghana’s only guaranteed boxing medallist from the nine boxers who represented the country across various weight categories at the Games. The 21-year-old southpaw secured his place on the podium after a hard-fought 4-1 split decision victory over England’s Ellis Trowbridge in the quarter-finals, earning scores of 29-28, 29-28, 27-30, 29-28, and 29-28 at SEC Hall 5.

Ranked as Africa’s number one bantamweight, Mohammed is the reigning African Games gold medallist, having triumphed in the bantamweight division at the 13th African Games in Accra in March 2024. His journey to the Commonwealth Games podium has been one of resilience – having lost his father at a tender age, he was nurtured by his coach, Gabriel Allotey, and has overcome significant challenges to emerge as the shining star of the Black Bombers contingent.

Semi-Final Showdown

Mohammed will seek a spot in Saturday’s gold medal fight when he faces Australia’s Jye Dixon in the men’s bantamweight (55kg) semi-final on Friday, 31 July, at the Glasgow 2026 Commonwealth Games. Dixon advanced after stopping Bangladesh’s Md Rakib Hossain in the second round of their quarter-final contest.

The Ghana Boxing Federation (GBF) has wished their poster boy all the best in his quest to join Ghana’s medal-winning legends.

With para athlete Zinabu Issah having already secured silver in the women’s F57 shot put – Ghana’s first medal of the Games – Mohammed now carries the nation’s hopes for another addition to the medal tally. The Commonwealth Games run from 23 July to 2 August in Glasgow, Scotland.