Azumah Nelson:Greatest Featherweight Ever????

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Azumah Nelson "The Professor": Was He The Greatest Featherweight of all time?

08.06.06 - By Jeff Allinson: The fighter who's praises I am about to sing is great, in every sense of the word. He rose from being an unknown in the sport, except in his home country of Ghana, in Africa, to being amongst boxings Royalty. He is the wonderful Azumah Nelson, the "Lion of Africa" or "The Professor". Nelson was born on September 19th 1958 into the Ga tribe, this is a tribe of true "Warriors" and he is not the only boxer to have been born into this tribe, fighters Ike Quartey and Alfred Kotey are other notable names!

Nelson gained the Ghanaian Featherweight title in only his 3rd Professional fight after knocking Henry Saddler out in 9 rounds. This achievement set the tone for things to come. In only his 10th fight as a professional, he defeated the vastly more experienced Brian Roberts of Australia to take the vacant Commonwealth Featherweight title. Roberts was KO'd in 5. Only 4 fights later, the unknown (outside Ghana, anyway) Nelson made a very brave move when he challenged the Unbelieveable Mexican Ledgend Salvador Sanchez for his WBC Featherweight title in Madison Square Garden, New York on 21/7/1982. Personally, I did not see Nelson as anywhere near ready for a challenge like that, despite being the older man, Sanchez had experience that Nelson could have only dreamed about.

Nelson fought a great fight though and gave the boxing public something to talk about as he was a far tougher opponent than Sanchez realised, and he had to rally to stop Azumah in the 15th by technical knockout. Nelson was actually ahead on one of the judges score cards. Sadly, the boxing world lost Sanchez only a few months after that in a tragic accident.

Nelson may have lost the fight, but we hadnt seen a fraction of what he was capable of. He was still on the way up. After another 6 fights, the first of which was against the undefeated Irving Mitchell, he was again the underdog in most boxing fans eyes when he challenged Wilfredo Gomez (Puerto Rico's finest ever fighter for my money) for the WBC Featherweight title on 8/12/1984. Lets not forget that Gomez had come up from Super Bantamweight to defeat the very tallented Juan LaPorte, However, favourite or not, Nelson would not be denied, despite being behind on the cards, he stopped Gomez late (in the 11th), something of a later trade mark of his. Nelson had reached the pinnacle, but he had hardly even started.

After despatching the very tough Chilean Juvenal Ordenes in Miami in September1985 in 5 rounds, he then faced one of my countrymen, the extremely skilfull Pat Cowdell, in Birmingham, England just short of a month later. I had eagerly anticipated this match up and expected a really tough competitive fight, after all Cowdell gave Salvador Sanchez fits, and took him to a split decision, personally I thought Sancez edged it, but it was very close indeed, Sanchez dropped Cowdell late in the fight, otherwise it would have perhaps even gone the way of Pat.

Come fight night the National Exibhition Center was buzzing. I was naturally supporting Cowdell, being a very patriotic guy, and can remember what happened next as one of the most chilling sights I had ever witnessed in a boxing ring. The fight had barely started when Cowdell was on the receiving end of a murderous left hook. He was counted out at 2:24 in the first round after crumpling to the canvas like a rag doll. I was utterley shocked. I can see it now...totally devastating. The colour drained from my cheeks. Me and my dad sat in silence for ages afterwards, not even able to drink our beers.

Nelson just kept getting better and better. His resume reads like a who's who of featherweights at the time. Marcos Villasana, Mario Martinez, (both defeated twice), Danilo Cabrera and Lupe Suarez are just a couple of big name and big reputation fighters all to succomb to Nelson, who was now campaigining at Super Featherweight.

On the 5th of November (Firework Night) 1989 he faced another Brit, Jim McDonnell at the Royal Albert hall in London, England, and Fireworks are exactly what we got! I was one of the many now who acknowledged Nelson as a true all time great by now, after all, he had been involved in 13 World title fights at that point, all against the very best, losing just the once to Sanchez when still a little green, so I gave McDonnell less than no chance. I was wrong. What a cracking competitive fight it was. Nelson wanted rid of Jim early and went straight after him with wild abandon, missing with huge wild left hooks (Nelsons best punch), the second saw Nelson stalk Jim and catch him with bone crunching body shots, it was almost too painfull to watch!! The 3rd was mostly McDonnell as he fought back with body shots of his own although he was caught with a big left.

Jim Dominated the 4th stanza with beautiful combinations switching to uppercuts straight through Azumah's guard. this looked to continue in the 5th but all of a sudden a HUGE left hook put Jim down. Jim beat the count however and at the end of the round hurt Nelson with a left of his own...What an amazing fight this was!

Nelson seemed tired in the 6th and slowed the pace, so Jim capitalised and took the round on work rate alone but the 7th was all Nelson and he hurt Jim with a series of lefts. There was more of the same in the 8th as he had Jim hurt with more lefts. in the 9th, Jim looked shaken and off balance early on, however he took the round by backing up Azumah and kept him trapped for a good part of the round, then all of a sudden he caught Jim with a big right but Jim fired straight back...FANTASTIC STUFF! I darent even drink my beer in case I missed something!! Jims round.

The 10th had ebb and flow, Azumah landed his fabled left early on, however, Jim backed up Azumah and landed flurries of punches to steal the round.

In the 11th, Jim's eye was closing fast, he teed off on Azumah's body early on, however, he no longer could see the punches coming and was getting caught more and more.

Then came the final stanza of a terrific fight that could go either way! Jim crumpled through the ropes after getting caught early by huge winging punches he could not see. Again, he beat the count but he was easy prey now for the merciless Nelson. Azumah landed a vicious short left hook, missed a couple more punches before landing a devastating right that finnished the job off in the last round for the second consecutive defence!

Jim was brave, and exceeded all expectations, but would never realise his world title dreams.

Azumah made the mistake of moving up to Lightweight (this authour believed Nelson to be too small physically) and taking on Pernell Whitaker. He got a second career loss. He realised his mistake, moved back down to more familiar territory and continued his winning streak.

Victories over Juan LaPorte and Daniel Mustapha paved the way for a fight of the ages against the excellent Australian Jeff Fenech, a former Super Bantamweight and Featherweight champion, this fight was declared a draw, I personally thought Nelson nicked it but it was mighty close. Nelson's wife had died in the build up to this fight, and to be honest, Azumah had admitted his mind was elsewhere. In the rematch, he was totally focussed, stopping Jeff in 8 in Ring magazines upset of the year for 1992, although how any victory by Nelson can ever be classed as an upset is simply beyond my comprehension.

I think then, Nelson was on the slide somewhat, and should have retired, but like many other fighters he was having none of it. He carried on, whilst well past his brilliant best, defeating the likes of Calvin Grove, Jesse James Leija (who, he had also drawn and lost to), and Gabriel Ruelas. A razor thin split decision defeat against Genaro Hernandez sat in between, too.

It never ceases to utterley amaze me just how great Azumah Nelson was. Not because of his slick skills (he could be wild and undisciplined at times) or because of his huge punch (he was a very good puncher, not a devastating one) but naturally because of his overall accomplishments. HE HAD AN UNBELIEVABLE 26 WORLD TITLE FIGHTS, WINNING 19 OF THEM!!! also because of his amazing never say die attitude. He simply did not know when he was beaten, also he was prepared to travel the world in search of a payday, (and was paid a pittance compared to the riches on offer today, which sickens me, for a guy of his calibre to be paid so little) and he ducked no one, but was ducked by many.

So who is the greatest Featherweight of them all? It could very easily be this man, after all, there aren't many I would dare mention in the same sentance. Sanchez? Yes, he was, indeed, great, we will never even know for sure if he had even reached his peak. Pep? Yes, he was great, too, but no greater than Nelson, because the overall calibre of Nelsons opponents is much better. Saddler, yes he, too, was great, a genuine ledgend. Pedroza? Yes, there's another great. But those are the only ones for my money that can be compared to this man. Trailing back a long way behind are the likes of Barerra, Hamed and Moralles. Those guys are good. But as good as Nelson, Sanchez, Pep, Saddler and Pedroza? dont make me laugh. No disrespect intended but they aren't even playing the same game.

Azumah Nelson, for my money, is the pick of the bunch, he never did get the respect or the money he deserved, but I'll tell you what, he has my complete and utter respect. A fistic genious and god bless him.