It takes a legend to recognize another legend: see how veteran boxer Azumah Nelson rates legendary footballer Abedi Pele…
Veteran Ghanaian boxer, Azumah Nelson has named Abedi Ayew Pele as Ghana’s greatest footballer. The debate regarding Ghana’s greatest footballer has become more or less an everyday issue among the followers of football. The debate as a matter of fact, heated up among stakeholders as Ghana marked her 60th independence last week
To the legendary boxer, there is no need for further debate as to who is Ghana’s greatest footballer of all time. The 58-year-old who holds Abedi Pele in high esteem, says the football legend was an exceptional player during his players and exhibited immense love for Ghana through his games for the Black Stars.
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The talk about who Ghana’s greatest footballer of all time is, always leads to unending arguments among sports stakeholders as well as lovers of football. Several names such as Baba Yara, James Adjei, C. K Gyamfi, Aggrey Fyn Osei Kofi, Ibrahim Sunday, Abdul Razak, Mohammed Polo, Abedi Pele, Asamoah Gyan, etc., have come up in the course of these arguments.
But the 58 year old boxing legend has come out to put an end to the debate. Azumah Nelson believes that Pele who won the African Footballer of the Year, surpasses them all.
Speaking in an interview with Happy FM, Azumah Nelson rates Abedi Pele as Ghana’s greatest footballer of all time; saying the veteran footballer was a delight to watch and he always gave his best to the national team. The legendary boxer touted Pele’s commitment level during his time at the Black Stars, which was seen in his dashing skills on the pitch.
Born Abedi Ayew, the football legend was one of the first great African players to make an impact on European club football. He played for teams in Switzerland, Germany, Italy and most famously, France where he helped Marseille win the 1993 UEFA Champion’s League. Pele is adored in many African countries, especially the Francophone countries because of his exploits in France.
The veteran however left his legacy in the world of football nationally and internationally in three of his sons -Ibrahim Ayew, Andre ‘Dede’ Ayew, and Jordan Ayew who are all prominent players, and have continued to make Ghana proud both nationally and internationally.
Fondly called Zoom Zoom, Azumah Nelson who is widely considered the greatest African boxer of all time, held the WBC featherweight title once and the WBC super featherweight title twice. In his fighting days during the 1980s and 1990s, Ghanaian boxing legend’s thrilling display and powerful overhands earned him the name “The Professor.” This was mostly because of his ability to teach his opponents a boxing lesson.
Nelson who is a former three-time world champion, is often described as the best boxer to come out of the African continent. Nelson made his professional debut in 1979. He quickly became a household name in Ghana and went on to win the British Commonwealth’s Featherweight title.
He has won tons of titles over his superb 20-year professional career, including British Commonwealth and African featherweight titles, and WBC featherweight and super-featherweight crowns.
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