Ghana's world champion female boxer is a trailblazer

Meet Ghana's first female world boxing champion, Abigail Quartey, who has punched down barriers to keep fighting.

Transcript

00:00Abigail Kwatika Kwati has boxed her way to the top.

00:04And from there she can clearly see the contribution made by other female fighters.

00:11There were women in boxing before I ventured into the sport.

00:14They were with the national team.

00:15But at that time women on the national team were not allowed to travel outside of Ghana.

00:21But her achievements with the Black Bombers, the national team, made history for her country

00:26and made Kwati proud.

00:29I became the first woman boxer to travel outside Ghana on the ticket of the Black Bombers,

00:33just like I have become the first lady to win a world title for Ghana.

00:38She has been cheered on along the way, including by her brother and her trainer.

00:43Her title is a big deal for her.

00:49And the gym, the community, the nation of Ghana, Africa and the world at large.

00:57It is not easy to win a title like that.

01:00And no other Ghanaian woman ever won such a title.

01:05But there were also some holding her back, even concerned family members, she says, who

01:10had never seen a female boxer.

01:14My aunts and siblings didn't like it when I started boxing.

01:19They would come here to beg my coach not to let me become a boxer.

01:23But he told them that I'm a good fighter and that I will do well.

01:30Sarah Lotesasari is a coach at Girls Box Tournament, an advocacy project for young women.

01:37She says that Kwati's winning a world title means a lot for boxers in Ghana.

01:43Even the male boxers, when they fight with non-Africans, it's very difficult for them

01:47to win because they have a lot more facilities and equipment than we do.

01:52So it's such an inspiring story and we are really happy for her.

01:57Kwati's own takeaway from her world title is as simple as it is inspiring.

02:02Young girls should know they can succeed in sports no matter the obstacles, she says.

02:07This isn't just a win, it's a movement.