On this day 28 May 1995 (Exactly 29 years ago today) Roy “The Black Flash” Ankrah died. The man, who in the 1950s put the country, then known as Gold Coast, on the boxing map, finally lost the battle against sickness.
Born John Theophilus Oti Ankrah on December 25, 1925, Roy died while being conveyed to the Korle – Bu Teaching Hospital from his Dansoman Estate residence in Accra.
Roy was without a doubt the country’s pioneer in professional boxing. He became a household name in the then Gold Coast when he won the British Empire featherweight title in 1951, beating Ronnie Clayton.
Dubbed variously as the ‘Black Flash’ and ‘Mr Perpetual Motion’, for his blinding hand speed and footwork. Ray dominated the division until 1954 when he lost the crown to Billy Spider Kelly.
As the first Gold Coast boxer to campaign in British rings, the Black Flash blazed the trail for others to follow and started Ghana’s domination of the featherweight division. The mantle was later to be taken up by Floyd Klutei Robertson, culminating in two world champions in the division — David ‘Poison’ Kotei and Azumah Nelson.
Even though he was a featherweight, Roy Ankrah was reputed to have fought opponents from that division up to heavyweights.
He became the first Ghanaian national boxing coach when he was appointed to that position by the then Central Organisation of Sports (COS).
His first major assignment was to assist British coach Jack Roy at Rome Olympics in 1960.
It was at these Games that Ghana won her first Olympic medal – a silver by Clement Isaac Quartey, a boxer.
On his return from the games , Roy Ankrah assumed full control of the national team which produced so many great amateur boxers and won several African and Commonwealth Games medals for the country.
He was in charge when Ghana was voted the strongest boxing nation at the Perth Commonwealth Games in 1962.
Until 1994, Roy was on contract with the National Sports Council (now National Sports Authority).
He was a World Boxing Council referee Judge and officiated at some world title fights.
He fell ill in November 1994 and never recoverd until he died , leaving behind a wife, two sons and three daughters.
