- He was among the very first boxers in Ghana
- His hands were very fast and crafty footwork
- He held the Commonwealth featherweight title from 1951-52
Roy Ankrah is a former boxing fighter for Ghana, who was a featherweight boxing contender during the 1950s. His hands were so fast when fighting and had crafty footwork that made him earn the nickname ’The Black Fish’.
Ankrah held the Commonwealth featherweight title for one year and his biggest fight is a non-title as both fighters weighed above the 118-pound limit for a bantamweight fighter.
Who Is Roy Ankrah?
Roy Ankrah is a retired boxer from Ghana who fought in the featherweight in the 1950s. Roy was born in Jamestown, Ghana in 1923 however other sources have listed him as being born in 1925.
His full name was John Theophilus Oti Ankrah but was nicknamed the ‘Black Flash or Mr Perpetual due to the motion of his hands when fighting.
He lost his mother at a tender age and his aunt became the guardian since then. His uncle was a mechanic and ran an auto repair shop where Roy began working.
He began fighting on the streets better known as a street fighter and won the regional school championship at 12 years. He won his first professional fight at the age of 17 years.
Ankrah died in 1995 at the age of 69 years and was married, with two children. A son by the name of Afrane Panin and his elder daughter Asantewaa.
Roy Ankrah. Photo/Ghanaian Museum
His son Afrane Panin became the chief of Edweso, a nearby community. He came from a small, poor fishing community in Accra known as Bukom, which has produced several successful boxers.
Ankrah’s Career
Ankara began showcasing his skills on the streets and at 12 years, he won the regional school championship. Five years later, he won his first professional fight.
He joined the Armed forces after winning the national featherweight title and was sent to India during World War II, where he participated in numerous exhibition fights and championships.
Up on return from India, the Ghanaian fighter went back to train for the national featherweight title once again. At this time, he defeated Nigerian stoker Kid Parry claiming the title of West African champion.
Roy Ankrah.Photo/Facebook
He won all along in the fights he participated in until he moved to the British Isles. Ankrah switched to professional camp on the Gold Coast remaining undefeated with 110 fights becoming the national champion in five different classes.
The classes include; flyweight. Bantamweight, featherweight, lightweight and welterweight. He became the first Ghanaian to make his debut fight overseas.
He then moved to Paisley, Scotland and joined George Lamont in the ring where he went on record for having 10 more wins before he lost to Jimmy Murray.
Ankrah won the Commonwealth featherweight title against Ronnie Clayton and maintained it till he lost it to Billy Kelly. Thereafter, he took a break from competing in the British Isles and returned to his native land Ghana.
On his return home, Roy competed in three more professional fights losing in two of them. He supported the Ghanaian National Team in preparation for the Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
He assisted the British trainer Jack Roy at the 1960 Olympic Games when Clement Quartey won the first Olympic medal for the former British colony.
After the games, he was soon promoted to national coach and worked directly with the National Sports Council. In addition, he was also a judge for the World Boxing Council [WBC] till his demise in 1995.
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