Albert Tornado Mensah Wins IBF Continental Africa Title, More Tagoe
By Robert Brizel, Real Combat Media Correspondent
Accra, Ghana(May 4th, 2013)– Light welterweight Albert ‘Tornado’ Mensah, the IBF number six world ranked welterweight, is back in the mix at 140 pounds for a world title shot at Lamont Peterson or other. After defending his International Boxing Federation International Light Welterweight title against Michael Katsidis in las Vegas in April 2012, major problems by Mensah in Chicago forced a breakup with American trainer Joseph Awinongya of Joliet, Illinois.
Awinongya subsequently claimed his breakup with Mensah was due to Mensah’s unspecified medical problems. As it was, Mensah lost a 12 round decision to 30-0-1 Denis Shafikov in an IBF eliminator in Quintana Roo, Mexico, in December 2012, with Chicago Fight Promotion manager Wasfi Tolaymat in the corner. The decision loss for the IBF International and WBC Baltic Light Welterweight titles may have been more so due to Mensah’s discontent with Awinongya as his trainer rather than technical boxing skill. Mensah clearly was not boxing with a clear mind or a knowledgeable corner man against Shafikov.
Mensah returned to Accra, Ghana, reuniting with Napoleon Tagoe, his trainer for his first 27 bouts, which were in Ghana. after knocking out smith Odom in six rounds on March 28, 2013, at Will Power Boxing Complex in Accra, Mensah went right back into training for another bout 35 days later.
Mensah won the vacant IBF Continental Africa Light Welterweight title with a six round stoppage of Ben Odamattey at Accra Sports Stadium on May 3, 2013, putting him back into IBF world title contention. There’s lots ‘Tagoe’ from Albert Mensah, who evidently is better off back in Accra training than he was in the United States, from his viewpoint. Is Albert Mensah the next Azumah Nelson? It’s too early to tell.
Result: Albert Mensah RTD 6 Ben Odamatey, Light Welterweights
Mensah wins the vacant IBF Continental Africa Light Welterweight title
Referee Michael Neequaye stops contest.
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