Mohammed “Golden Star” Aryeetey salvaged Ghanaian pride last Saturday after making it two straight victories in the United States of America (USA), outpointing American Johnny Paredes by unanimous decision at the Capital Clubhouse in Waldorf, Maryland.

In his fourth fight on American soil, the Ghanaian produced a composed performance to secure a convincing 59-55, 60-54, 60-55 verdict, handing Paredes his first professional defeat in the process. 

The victory improves Aryeetey’s record to 12-1-1, with eight knockouts, and represents a positive step in his career after previously experiencing mixed fortunes in the US. 

A gold medallist from the Accra 2023 African Games, Aryeetey’s two previous fights in the USA ended in a draw in 2022 and a defeat in 2023.

While Aryeetey celebrated, however, Ghanaian boxing suffered contrasting setbacks abroad.

In Buenos Aires, John “The Expensive Boxer” Laryea suffered the first defeat of his professional career after being disqualified by Puerto Rican referee Janny Guzman in the ninth round of his WBA featherweight world-title eliminator against Argentina’s Adrian Maximiliano Robledo.

Laryea, who was supported at ringside by Ghanaian football legend Asamoah Gyan, had already been knocked down in the fifth round and deducted a point in the seventh.

According to the official fight report, the Ghanaian also connected with two clear headbutts that went unpunished. In the ninth, after landing two blatant low blows without being penalised, Laryea committed another low blow, prompting Guzman to disqualify him. 

The defeat ended Laryea’s unbeaten run and denied him a potentially career-changing opportunity for a crack at the WBA world title.

The fight had been billed as a major international test, with Laryea entering unbeaten and Robledo enjoying home advantage in Buenos Aires.

“A bad day at the office, we go back to the drawing board and come back stronger. Everyone has a second chance, and we will make use of our second chance,” Laryea’s Manager, Sammy Anim Addo, said.

The biggest disappointment, however, occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, where former IBO world champion Emmanuel “Game Boy” Tagoe did not even make it to the ring against unbeaten American Ernesto “Tito” Mercado.

Tagoe weighed 150 pounds for their scheduled 140-pound WBO International super lightweight contest — 10 pounds over the contracted limit. Attempts by both camps to renegotiate failed, forcing the fight off the DAZN undercard.

The cancellation was a bitter disappointment for Tagoe, 37, who had described the 24-year-old Mercado as the kind of challenge he wanted at this stage of his career.

“Otherwise I wouldn’t have taken this fight,” the Ghanaian veteran had said, signalling his confidence ahead of the contest.

For Ghanaian boxing, which desperately craved success in foreign rings, Aryeetey’s victory, therefore, provided a welcome bright spot on a weekend overshadowed by two painful setbacks.