By Ken Hissner: Representing Ghana at the 2008 Olympics, Prince Dzanie lost to Cuba’s Idle Torriente. After winning 22 straight in Ghana, the unbeaten Prince Dzanie made his US debut on August 10th at Garden Theater, Detroit, Michigan, stopping Dominican Juan Gabriel Medina, 14-11, with 12 stoppages on a Salita Promotions card.
This fight can be seen on www.youtube.com. He reminds one of Sabastian “Towering Inferno” Fundora.
After scoring stoppages in his first seven fights, Dzanie stopped Michael “The Shoe” Barnor, 13-5-2, in two rounds for the Ghana bantamweight title. In 2017 he stopped Isaac “Pretty Boy Junior” Quaye, 31-13-1, in a WBO African title defense. He used a “bolo” right hand as former great Kid Gavilan used. In 2019 he defeated Raymond Commey 19-7. Then he scored stoppages in his next and last fights.
In an interview, Dzanie said, “I started boxing at age 7. My favorite boxers that inspired me in Ghana were Azuma Nelson and Ike Quartey.”
Dzanie is currently ranked No.7 in the IBF at super bantamweight. He is training in South Philadelphia at Marion Anderson Rec Center under trainer Aaron Ford and assisting him is Dhafir “No Fear” Smith.
Dzanie is 23-0 with 19 stoppages, having made his debut in October 2012. Dzanie is managed by Vincent Scolpino and promoted by Dmitriy Salita of Salita Promotions.
Per writer and former amateur boxer George Hanson, who trains boxers at Marion Anderson gym he had this to say, “Standing 5:09 and tipping the scales at 121 lbs. with extremely long arms – Prince Octopus Dzanie he can tie his shoe lances without bending and packs dynamite in both mitts!”
He added, “watching him spar today with Philly’s undefeated welter “Dangerous Daryl Jones – only solidifies my position – he is simply too skilled, too big, and too strong for anyone 122 to 135.”
“My manager Vinnie Scalpino from New Jersey, wanted to bring him over here from Ghana. I told him I couldn’t train him full time but Aaron Ford could. We are trying to get more of an American style to go along with his punching power,” said Dhafir Smith. Smith has been in training camps with Artur Beterbiev, Gennadiy “GGG” Golovkin, Andre Ward, and Lucian Bute, along with training some Philly boxers.
It has been four years since Ghana produced a world boxing champion when Isaac “Royal Storm” Dogboe stopped WBO Junior Welterweight champion Jesse Magdaleno in the 11th round at The Liacouras Center, Philadelphia, Pa.
“He’s a hard worker, dedicated, and can punch,” said Aaron Ford. Ford has worked with Philly boxers Derek “Pooh” Ennis, USBA champ, Willie Taylor, USBA champ, Willie “The Gladiator” Gibbs, USBA champ, Rasheem “Untouchable” Brown, Tri-State champ, Frankie Trader and Hank Lundy, NABO champ.
At age 37, Dzanie has no time to waste. In his last six fights, he went against stiffer opposition that in his previous fights, which in Ghana are known as “record builders!”
