africatodayonline.blogspot.com -
Boxing News of Thursday, 12 February 2015
Source: Sammy Heywood Okine
2015-02-12Roy "The Black Flash" Ankrah - Featherweight boxing champion - British Empire (1951)
John Theophilus Oti Ankrah alias “The Black Flash” or Roy Ankrah was born on December 25 1925 in Accra Ghana. He a Ghanaian professional feather/super feather/lightweight boxer of the 1940s, '50s and '60s who won the Gold Coast flyweight title, Gold Coast bantamweight title, Gold Coast featherweight title, Gold Coast lightweight title, Gold Coast welterweight title, and British Empire super featherweight title, his professional fighting weight varied from 121 1?2 lb (55.1 kg; 8 st 9.5 lb),
His global professional boxing identity number was 16295.
According to the 1955 Ring Record Book, Ankrah turned professional in 1941 and posted an undefeated record of 110-0 until 1949.
He turned professional in the 1940s in Gold Coast (later Ghana). From 1941 to 1949, Ankrah won the African Gold Coast Flyweight, Bantamweight, Featherweight, Lightweight, and Welterweight Titles.
The Black Flash won his first 120 straight fights before losing on a foul to Jimmy Murray on May 30, 1950.
He made his debut in Britain in 1950 on the recommendation of Freddie Mills.
The Accra boy on British Empire title 1951; lost it in 1954. Roy Ankrah returned to Ghana, having three fights there (winning 2, losing 1) before retiring.
Before his death on 28 May 1995 at 65 years, he helped his country's amateur squads preparing for Olympic and Commonwealth Games.
The Sports Hall at the Accra Sports Stadium was named after him, but it was later changed and many boxing fans feel he deserves more than that.
Members of the Friends of Boxing (FOB) in Bukom, Ghana have called on the sports authorities to name a facility after the great boxer.
They believe the late Roy Ankrah was an icon who should be emulated and can be a great inspiration to the youth of Accra, especially those in Bukom, James Town, Sempe, Chorkor, Mamprobi, Korle Gonno and surrounding areas.
