Verified Profile

David Kotei

Boxer (Featherweight) • Athlete

BornDecember 7, 1950 Age75 Years NationalityGhanaian RegionGreater Accra

Profession Boxer (Featherweight) Athlete

Awards 1+ Won

Nationality Ghanaian

About David Kotei

David Kotei, known as DK Poison, was the first Ghanaian to win a world boxing title, a trailblazer who opened the door for the champions who followed.

Early life

He was born on 7 December 1950 in Accra, one of the many fighters produced by Bukom, the seaside neighbourhood that has been the cradle of Ghanaian boxing for generations. He turned professional as a teenager in 1966 under the trainer Attuquaye Clottey.

Rise to the top

He built his reputation at featherweight, winning the African title in 1974 with a first-round knockout in Tunis, and adding the Commonwealth title later that year. Those victories set up the biggest night of his life.

World champion

On 20 September 1975, at The Forum in Inglewood, California, Kotei beat the Mexican great Ruben Olivares by split decision over 15 rounds to win the WBC featherweight title. In doing so he became the first Ghanaian world boxing champion, a landmark moment for the country's sport.

Legacy

He held the title until 1976. As the man who won Ghana its first world crown, DK Poison remains a pioneer of the country's proud boxing tradition, the fighter who proved a Ghanaian could rule the world.