Boxing great Azumah Nelson has urged Samuel Takyi to ‘run to him’ for good counsel to become a great boxer as he continues to contemplate whether to go professional or remain at amateur boxing.
The 20-year-old 2020 Tokyo Olympic Games bronze medalist in the men’s featherweight division had expressed two opinions about going professional within days in two separate interviews.
Immediately after the Olympics, Takyi said he was not going to compete as an amateur boxer again, but in just a few days, he said he was not ready to go professional.
The two-weight world champion believes Takyi is in a time of his career where bad counsel could deprive him of a great career ahead of him.
“I fear for Takyi because he doesn’t have good advisors. He is not well counselled; he must run to me now and I will give him a great future career,” Azumah told the Graphic Sports.
“What is Takyi doing in Ghana, boxing is done in America; he should quickly move to America.
“He must call me and I will link him up with top American boxing managers and promoters,” assured the member of the exclusive International Boxing Hall of Fame.
“The Golden Ring Warrior” Ghana’s first Olympic medal since the Black Meteors won bronze at Barcelona 1992, and the first boxing medal since middleweight Prince Amartey who took the bronze in Munch 1972.
Azumah strongly believes the young boxer is in his prime and no longer needs to stay at the amateur level.
“Takyi can’t fight at the amateur level again. If he goes again to any competition at the amateur level, I bet he will be beaten. Age is not on his side, he should move to professional.
“Everyone wants to get a bite of him but he must sit down and think very well about his future. I can help him if he reaches out to me,” he assured.
Azumah Nelson held the WBC featherweight title from 1984 to 1987 and the WBC super-featherweight title twice between 1988 and 1997.
