David Kotey
Titles: WBC featherweight champion 1975-1976
Record: 38-7-1
Born: December 7, 1950 in Accra, Ghana
Years active: 1966-1989
Nickname: Poison
If you were to sum up Kotey with one word it would be strength. If there was a
ounce of fat on Kotey in his prime it would take a microscope to find it. Having
said that it should not be thought of as his only asset, Kotey could box as well
but it was his strength both mental and physical that would propel him to a world
championship. Kotey to a large extent is also responsible for the current crop of
excellent fighters to come out of Ghana, as he inspired a entire nation of men to
take up boxing. Kotey began to box at the age of 15 and quickly earned the great
nickname of "Poison" as he stopped many of his opponents with a ease seldom seen
before him in Africa. Kotey won the African featherweight title when he predictably
knocked out Tahar Ben Hassan. Kotey would follow that championship by winning the
Commonwealth title when he lured Scotland's Evan Armstrong to Accra. In a wild
affair Kotey established his dominance from the 4th round on and Armstrong retired
in his corner following the 10th round. This win established Kotey as the number
one challenger of the WBC and a mandatory shot at Ruben Olivares. Kotey as the
number 1 challenger set the tone of the fight early when he knocked Olivares with
a hook in the first and dominated the first 10 rounds. Kotey faded in the later
rounds however and Olivares rallied late but it obviously to little to late. A
crowd of 8,000 fans stole the glory Kotey deserved and worked for since he was 15
years old. As the fight ended with the crowd well aware that Olivares was a beaten
champion they began to throw bottles and chairs about the ring while fighting
among themselves. Kotey was hustled out of the ring for his protection and his
trainer was hit on the head with a chair and hospitalized. Kotey himself was so
physically drained he could hardly talk after the bout. The decision was never
announced to the crowd but 30 minutes later the decision in Kotey's favor was
flashed on the overhanging scoreboard. As bad as it was in Los Angeles was as good
as it was in Accra upon his return home. 600,000 people lined the streets of Accra
to welcome Ghana's first world champion home. Two successful defenses followed
before Kotey took on the challenge of little know Danny Lopez. The first was a
gimmie as he beat David Sodelo easily. The second challenge came from Japan's
Harugi Uehara a very accomplished fighter. Kotey rarely looked better and took
Uehara out in 3 rounds earning the biggest purse of his career at $75,000. Kotey
would loose the title to Danny "little Red" Lopez however. Coming into the fight
Kotey was a solid favorite but before 100,000 of his people at the Accra Sports
stadium Lopez took him apart. It was a one sided affair that saw fans of Kotey
leave the venue way before the final bell. It took 37 stitches (17 for his lower
lip alone) to put Kotey back to together and the last 5 rounds were pure hell for
Kotey who to his credit refused to quit. Lopez said after the fight "Anywhere
else the fight would have been stopped. He wouldn't go down!" The fight obviously
took a lot out of Kotey and he would ever show great form again. A rematch with
Lopez on the first Muhammad Ali vs. Leon Spinks card saw Kotey knocked out in six
more one sided rounds. Kotey would also loose his commonwealth title that same
year when Eddie Ndukwu of Nigeria defeated him. It was now obvious Kotey had little
left. Kotey retired from the ring and like other champs had two failed come back
attempts, the last came 1989 a amazing 12 years after he retired.
David Kotey
Career Record: 38 W, 7 L, 1 D (23 KO's)
- 1966 -
+ (Feb-5-1966, Accra) Young Famous Lartey 6
+ (Sep-3-1966, Accra) Abu Morgan ko 4
+ (Dec-10-1966, Accra) Bob Cofie ko 6
- 1967 -
+ (Feb-5-1967, Togo) Emmanuel Dudzro 8
+ (Mar-2-1967, Accra) Shido Armah ko 3
+ (Jun-5-1967, Togo) Peter Aywith 10
- 1968 -
+ (Mar-1-1968, Precipe) Kid Killer ko 8
+ (May-4-1968, Tomale) Abu Morgan 8
+ (Aug-31-1968, Accra) Teddy Walker 8
- 1969 -
+ (Mar-1-1969, Brigade Gas Factory) Teddy Walker 8
+ (Jun-14-1969, Black Star) Teddy Walker ko 4
+ (Aug-30-1969, Precipe) Asebi Bookye ko 10
+ (Dec-2-1969, Takoradi) Cassimo Alhasson ko 3
- 1970 -
+ (Mar-7-1970, Accra) Buddy Guy 8
+ (Aug-29-1970, Accra) Buddy Guy 8
+ (Sep-3-1970, Tomale) Joe Banks ko 3
+ (Oct-30-1970, Koforidua) Joe Issaka ko 2
+ (Nov-28-1970, Accra) Bob Seifu ko 3
- 1971 -
= (Jun-5-1971, Accra) Freddie Mensah 8
+ (Dec-3-1971, Accra) Cassimo Alhasson ko 3
- 1972 -
- (May-29-1972, Melbourne) Andy Broome 10
+ (Jun-22-1972, Melbourne) Alan Pressnell 10
+ (Jun-29-1972, Sydney) Ted Bonner ko 10
- (Jul-13-1972, Sydney) Rex Downward 10
+ (Jul-27-1972, Sydney) Tony Cunningham 10
+ (Aug-23-1972, Melbourne) Ray Ross ko 3
+ (Oct-18-1972, Melbourne) Sakae Nakamura 10
- 1973 -
+ (Oct-6-1973, Accra) Bingo Crooks ko 6
+ (Dec-14-1973, Kumasi) Peter Koloko ko 2
- 1974 -
+ (Feb-2-1974, Tunis) Tahar Ben Hassen ko 1
+ (Nov-9-1974, Accra) Osmanu Toure ko 5
+ (Dec-7-1974, Accra) Evan Armstrong kot 10
- 1975 -
+ (Sep-20-1975, Inglewood) Ruben Olivares 15 (W.B.C., Featherweight)
+ (Dec-21-1975, Accra) David Sotelo 10
- 1976 -
+ (Mar-6-1976, Accra) Harugi Uehara kot 12 (W.B.C., Featherweight)
+ (Jul-16-1976, Tokyo) Shig Fukuyama ko 3 (W.B.C., Featherweight)
- (Nov-6-1976, Accra) Danny Lopez 15 (W.B.C., Featherweight)
- 1977 -
+ (Apr-30-1977, Accra) Billy Wade ko 5
+ (Jul-30-1977, Accra) Laurent Bazie 15
+ (Oct-30-1977, Accra) Jose Resto 10
+ (Dec-4-1977, Accra) Victor Diaz ko 3
- 1978 -
- (Feb-15-1978, Las Vegas) Danny Lopez kot 6 (W.B.C., Featherweight)
- (Sep-29-1978, Lagos) Eddie Ndukwu 15
- 1979 -
+ (Feb-3-1979, Accra) Tapsoba Tiga kot 8
- 1980-1981: inactive -
- 1982 -
- (Apr-30-1982, Lagos) Davidson Andeh ko 9
- 1983-1988: inactive -
- 1989 -
- (1989) Akwei Addo ko 5