Ike Quartey

Infobox Boxer


name=Ike Quartey
realname=Isufu Quartey
nickname=Bazooka
weight=Light Middleweight
nationality=Flagicon|Ghana Ghanaian
birth_date= Birth date and age|1969|11|27|mf=y
birth_place= Bukom, Ghana
death_date|=
death_place|=
style=Orthodox
total=42
wins=37
losses=4
draws=1
no contests=0
KO=31|

Ike "Bazooka" Quartey (born November 27, 1969 in Bukom, Ghana) is a former WBA welterweight boxing champion.

Amateur career

*Claimed an amateur record of 50-4
*1987 3rd place at Junior World Championships in Havana, Cuba. Lost to Lászlo Szücs (Hungary) on pointsRepresented Ghana as a Light Welterweight at 1988 Seoul Olympic Games.
*Defeated Saisozema points
*Lost to Grahame Cheney (Australia) on points (5:0) in third round

Professional career

Quartey turned pro in 1988. He started his worldwide boxing career under Mr. Yoofi Boham, who is without doubt the most successful boxing manager in Ghana, and also father-in-law of Boxing Legend Azumah Nelson. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/3004326.stm BBC NEWS | Africa |Bukom: heartbeat of African boxing ] ] It is truly Yoofi Boham who got Quartey recognized as a boxer on the international arena. Boham managed Quartey alongside Alfred "The Cobra" Kotey and in fact, it is Boham who gave them the names Bazooka and Cobra. Quartey and Kotey were so close that many thought they were brothers. [ [http://www.eastsideboxing.com/ike2210.html Alfred Kotey Interview ] ] Quartey won the WBA Welterweight title on 4 June 1994 against undefeated Crisanto Espana of Venezuela, with a KO in 11. He defended his title successfully seven times. Among his foes were Alberto Cortes and Oba Carr, who had managed to knock down Quartey's co-champion, Felix Trinidad. As well as Vince Phillips who would knockout Kostya Tszyu in his very next fight to win the IBF junior welterweight title. In October of 1997 he fought Jose Luis Lopez to a draw. The decision was originally read as a win for Quartey but reversed when a flaw was found in the scoring. Although Quartey was down twice, most observers felt that he deserved the victory and his reputation suffered little damage. Personal, business and health issues kept Quartey out of the ring until February of 1999. His inactivity led him to be stripped of his WBA belt, but he challenged WBC champion Oscar De La Hoya at the Thomas & Mack center in Las Vegas, Nevada. De La Hoya came away with a controversial split decision. Quartey would remain inactive for the next year, eventually jumping up to the junior middleweight division to challenge then undefeated Fernando Vargas for his IBF title. Quartey would lose a unanimous decision. He would leave the ring for the next five years.

Quartey returned to the ring in January 2005. He won the first three bouts of his comeback. On August 5, 2006, he would lose a close and extremely controversial unanimous decision to former Welterweight champion Vernon Forrest at the Madison Square Garden Theatre in New York. Quartey's next opponent was Ronald "Winky" Wright on December 2, 2006 in Tampa, Florida. Fighting on Wright's home turf, Quartey put on a courageous display against Wright, battling back against Wright to win some of the later rounds, albeit losing a unanimous decision. Quartey was known mainly for his "Bazooka" like jab. His jab was considered by most experts to be the best in all of boxing while he was in his prime. Quartey was relatively short and heavily muscled for a middleweight. He primarily relied a "peek-a-boo" or "clam-shell" defense, which consisted of him allowing punches to land on his arms, elbows and gloves which he kept held tightly to his cheeks and ribcage.

Currently he's busy getting set to open up his new hospital in his hometown of Accra, Ghana but has been in training for the last few weeks. He says "I still have fire and ability, I want to leave a winning legacy for my fans across the world and I plan on doing that at this point in my life. I am in the best shape of my career and am ready to fight the best. I want people to know that Ike Quartey still has what it takes."

Currently the plan is to get Bazooka back in the ring in either September or October of this year.

Statistics

* Reach = 71"
* Height = 5' 8"
* Record as of August 2006: W 37 (31 ko's) | L 3 | D 1 | Total 41

Personal

He is a member of Accra's Ga tribe. Ike is the youngest of 27 children. His father reportedly had five wives. His older brother Isaac Quartey won a silver medal in the 1960 Olympics.

References

External links

* [http://boxing.about.com/od/records/a/quartey.htm Ike Quartey Fight-by-Fight Career Record]
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