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Azumah Nelson from Accra, Ghana started his professional
boxing career in 1979. Though winning the African and
Commonwealth titles in his first years as a pro, he was
largely unknown when he challenged the great Salvador
Sanchez of Mexico for his World Featherweight crown in
1982. Not much was expected of Azumah Nelson, but he put
up a great fight before being stopped in the 15th and
final round of his challenge. Sadly it would prove to be
Sanchez' last fight, as he would die in a car crash two
months later.
In 1984 Azumah again challenged for the World Featherweight
title, this time against Wilfredo Gomez. This time Nelson
was a fighter with a lot more experience and he knocked
Gomez out in 11 rounds in the latter's native country
Puerto Rico. He held on to that title for 3 years, then
voluntarily gave it up to compete in a higher weight
division. In 1988 he won the Jr. Lightweight title against
Mexican Mario Martinez, and he defended it 10 times over
the next 6 years before losing it against Jesse James
Leija of the United States.
Amazingly, in 1995 Nelson would reclaim his title at the age
of 37 against Leija's conqueror Gabriel Ruelas and beat
Leija in a title defence. But that would prove to be the
last great feat of the man they were now calling 'The
Professor'. He lost his title to Genaro Hernandez in 1997
and when the following year Leija beat him in a final
match, Azumah decided to call it a career at the age of
39, and retired. In the eyes of many he's one of the
greatest fighters that has come out of the continent of
Africa and he's respected throughout the entire world for
his fighting abilities and his dignified behavior. |
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