Mensah Happy Now Fights Assured

Press, Volume CVI, Issue 31085, 14 June 1966, Page 19

Mensah Happy Now Fights Assured

The Ghanaian boxer, E. Mensah, imported by the Canterbury Boxing Association, and his Christchurch trainer, Mr K. Dawson, said last evening that they were now very happy with the fights and purses arranged for Mensah by the association.

“The fights for Mensah, against K. Langford on June 23, and against G. Ford, on July 14, have been agreed to by the C.8.A.,” said Mr Dawson last evening.

“The financial arrangements for Mensah are most satisfactory and have been guaranteed. The C.B.A. treatment of Mensah is, at last, very satisfactory.

“I wish to express thanks to The Press’ on behalf of Mensah and myself. Complaints were made to the C.8.A., but It was like hitting your head against a brick wall.

“Our complaints were brought to the notice of the public by The Press’ and now the attitude of the C.B.A. towards Mensah is very satisfactory.” Mr Dawson said he wished to make it quite clear that he had not benefitted one penny through acting as Mensah's trainer and, because he was forced to, as Mensah’s agent The Crichton Cobbers’ Club, in providing gymnasium facilities for Mensah, had not benefitted financially.

“I emphasise these points because it shows that in seeking a fair deal for Mensah, I did not approach The Press’ with any financial gain for

myself or my club in view,” Mr Dawson said.

On Saturday evening Mensah beat D. Hagen, the New Zealand professional welterweight champion, at Invercargill, on points. Mr Dawson said it was a unanimous points decision. Mensah had boxed well within himself to win comfortably. Mensah earned £l2O for his win. He has now won £360 for three fights in New Zealand. He won £l2O for losing, on a split points decision, to B. Maunsell, the then New Zealand light-weight champion. He earned £l2O for beating S. Wheeler, a welter-weight from Auckland. “Mensah has lived up to his promise to fight any opponent between 9st 91b and lOst 41b. After his disappointing earn-

ings, £240 for fighting Maunsell and Wheeler, and his agreement to meet Hagen in Invercargill for a maximum purse of £l2O, Mensah declined to fight M. Santos in Wellington," said Mr Dawson. “Mensah felt he had been promised fights in Christchurch, and guaranteed £6OO for three bouts. Therefore he demanded £5OO before he fought Santos in Wellington —but he would have accepted a guarantee of £350. "However, with the two fights lined up and the finances guaranteed, both Mensah and myself feel that the C.B.A. will have honoured its obligations to him very satisfactorily, if not: handsomely. We are happy at present,” Mr Dawson said.