In the heart of Jamestown, Accra, where boxing gyms hum with the sounds of grit and ambition, Abigail Kwartekaa Quartey began her journey not as a champion but as a defiant young girl with a dream. In a country where boxing has long been regarded as a man’s sport, Abigail dared to challenge the script.
Raised by her aunt and struggling with the realities of poverty, she spent her early years selling rice and helping to support her family. When she took an interest in boxing, her extended family protested. Her aunt and siblings even pleaded with her coach not to train her. The ring, they believed, was no place for a girl. But Abigail was relentless. She found support in her brother and coach, who saw not just determination but extraordinary talent in her.
Even with their belief in her, the path was not easy. In 2017, economic hardship forced her to abandon boxing and sell lottery tickets on the streets. It was a devastating decision for someone whose spirit thrived in the discipline and rhythm of training. Years passed. Friends and supporters nudged her to return, and in 2021 she finally did, this time more focused than ever, though still without a manager or financial support.
Female boxers in Ghana, she often said, were not taken seriously. They lacked sponsors, exposure, and the infrastructure their male counterparts enjoyed. But that never stopped her. Every jab, every run, every drop of sweat became a statement of protest against the odds she was handed.
Then, in November, at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Accra, she stepped into the ring with Britain’s Sangeeta Birdi. In a battle that tested not just strength but spirit, Abigail emerged victorious, claiming the World International Boxing Federation Super Bantamweight title. With that win, she became Ghana’s first female world boxing champion, the first woman to ever represent the national team abroad, and a beacon for countless young women who saw themselves in her fight.
The reaction from her community was immediate and electric. Neighbors danced in the streets. Journalists called it a historic moment. Her coach, Ebenezer Adjei, known as Coach Killer, beamed with pride, saying Abigail’s success was a message to the world about the talent that lives in Ghana’s forgotten corners.
Abigail herself remained grounded. She spoke of the many women before her who trained just as hard but never got the chance to compete internationally. She trained alongside rising stars like 18-year-old Perpetual Okaijah, urging younger women to step into the ring with courage.
She believes her story proves one powerful truth: if a man can do it, a woman can too.
Her victory is more than a personal triumph. It is a cultural breakthrough, a reminder that greatness knows no gender, and that dreams, even those born in the quiet alleys of Jamestown, can find their way to the world stage. In a country rich in boxing history, Abigail Kwartekaa Quartey has punched through prejudice and carved a space not just for herself but for generations of Ghanaian girls who now dare to believe.
