On this day 20 February 1993 (Exactly 26 years ago) Ghanaian former professional boxer, Azumah Nelson, widely considered the greatest African boxer of all time, defeated future world champion Gabriel Ruelas by majority decision in front of 120,000 fans (most of whom had come to watch Julio César Chávez defend his world title against Greg Haugen in the evening’s main event) at the Estadio Azteca, Mexico City, Distrito Federal . Azumah retained his WBC Super Featherweight title.
The 120,000 fan turnout was the largest ever for a boxing event.
On this day 20 February 2005 (Exactly 14 years ago) The 2004 CAF Champions League winners, Enyimba of Nigeria, added the Super Cup to their medal hauls, registering two extra time goals against Confederation Cup kings Hearts of Oak at the Enyimba International Stadium, Aba, Nigeria.
The two sides failed to score during regulation time but Enyimba accelerated and scored a goal in each half of extra time as a 10-man Hearts’ side run out of steam to salvage their image.
The Nigerians had a man advantage for the last 20 minutes of normal time and extra time after Hearts’ Lawrence Adjei left the pitch injured and the Ghanaians had already made all their substitutions.
The first half was evenly balanced with both sides having chances that they failed to convert.
Enyimba dominated the closing stages of the match but were unable to convert any of their chances.
The deadlock was eventually broken in the seventh minute of injury time when Mutiu Adegoke found the back of the net following a goal mouth scramble.
Adegoke then turned provider in the fifth minute of the second period of extra time when his cross was headed home by the Benin international Muri Ogunbiyi.
Hearts’ goalie, Sannie Mohammed stood between Enyimba and a goal harvest particularly in the first half of regulation time, as he pulled some tremendous saves to the chagrin of the home fans.
Enyimba coach Okey Emordi was happy with the victory.
“We struggled against a good side but we deserved this victory,” he told BBC Sport after the game.
Hearts coach, Cecil Jones Attuquayefio, was philosophical after the match.
“One thing that happened today is that two of the continent’s best sides clashed today but one must emerge as winner and this time it was Enyimba,” he said.
The Ghanaian side’s captain Yaw Amankwa Mireku said his team were not disappointed they lost the game.
“We are not disappointed because Enyimba played very well and deserved their victory,” he said.
The game finished in a heavy downpour but nothing could dampen the jubilation from the capacity crowd in the stadium in Aba.
It was another double for the Nigerians who recorded the same feat a year before and became the second club in many years to win the Champions League back-to-back.
Hearts also made it double in 2000, winning both the Champions League and the Super Cup.
The annual African Super Cup clash is played between the winners of the Champions League and the Confederation Cup champions.
Hearts: Sannie Mohammed, Amankwa Mireku, Acquah Harrison, Dan Coleman Michael Donkor, Erik Nyarko, Lawrence Adjei, Francis Bossman/Saliu Muntari Abdul “Okocha” Samad, Joe Tagoe, Wisdom Abbey.
On this day 20 February 2016 (Exactly 3 years ago) Asante Kotoko’s suffered a 2-0 defeat to less fancied WAFA in Sogakope in their first match of the Ghanaian football League season .
The Academy Boys made a flying start to their campaign with the morale boosting victory that saw the Porcupine Warriors fluff several scoring chances.
Charles Boateng put WAFA ahead in the 40th minute before Samuel Tetteh sealed victory three minutes after recess.
The Porcupines Warriors were without key midfielder Jackson Owusu who broke his leg a week before the match , Dauda Mohammed and Kwame Boateng who was adjudged best player in G6 tournament.
The absence of the trio appeared to be the bane of Kotoko while WAFA profited from the return to fitness of hugely talented midfielder Majeed Ashiweru as he made the bench.
Kotoko suffered in the first half as they lost goalkeeper Felix Annan and Edwin Tuffour to injury. The former WAFA player collided with Charles Boateng and had to be replaced by Eric Ofori while Atta Kusi took the place of Tuffour.
WAFA produced a performance of skill and discipline but had to wait until five minutes to recess to fetch the first goal. Captain Martin Antwi powerful shot was saved by Ofori Antwi before Charles Boateng headed home the rebound.
Samuel Tetteh sealed victory with a brilliant run from the right before placing an equally brilliant shot low and beyond Ofori Antwi.
On this day 20 February 1976 (Exactly 43 years ago) Muhammad Ali KOs Belgian boxer Jean Pierre Coopman in San Juan, Puerto Rico in a bout often regarded as a glorified sparring session.
This was Ali’s first boxing bout after Thrilla in Manila.Ali won the fight after knocking out Coopman in the fifth round.In an interview, Coopman denied claims that he had been drinking champagne before the fight, but confirmed that he had drunk some champagne during the fight to help him move faster and to feel euphoric.
The bout took place in Puerto Rico at the Roberto Clemente Coliseum and was televised in the United States live on CBS in front of 40 million viewers
The Fight
In the ring during the introduction, Coopman smiled easily while Ali stared at him. In his orange robe with a small black lion over the left breast, Coopman sat on the stool in his corner and appeared to enjoy Ali’s attempted psych. But when the bell rang for the first round, the Belgian stopped smiling.
Ali had a 20-pound advantage in weight at 226 over 206 and a five-inch advantage in reach, not to mention his advantage in skill and experience. In the first round, he coughed twice midway through the round, then coughed up his mouthpiece near the end of the round. Ali is recovering from a recent battle with a flu.
Through four rounds, Ali was operating in a flatfoot stance, peppering Coopman with a flurry of punches whenever the mood struck him. In the fifth, the champion start to dance, circling to his left, then to his right, and confusing Coopman with backhand jabs. Then suddenly, Ali unloaded the big uppercut.
With a flurry of punches, culminated by a right uppercut. Ali toppled the 29-year-old challenger into the ropes. trying to regain his equilibrium, Coopman wobbled back into the canvas in an apparent delayed reaction from the punch. Coopam was counted out by referee Ismael Quinones-Falu at 2 minutes 46 seconds. The referee and the two judges, Ismael Fernandez and Roberto Ranirez, each had rewarded Ali a 10-9 advantage in points in each of the first four rounds.
Moments later, Coopman was dragged to his corner, with Ali helping. It was easy as if Ali had use a whip and a chair. Ali may have never had an easier fight. It might be considered more of an appearance than a competition. Coopman plodded forward aggressively. but not skillfully, His punches seemed to touch Ali rather than hit him. About 20 minutes after the bout, Ali appeared in the interview area, dressed and relaxed.