Abigail Kwartekaa Quartey has risen from the crowded alleys of Jamestown to national hero as she becomes Ghana’s first female world boxing champion. In November 2024, according to report, she triumphed over Britain’s Sangeeta Birdi at the Bukom Boxing Arena, she earned the WIBF World Super Bantamweight title by unanimous decision as few believed possible.
Jamestown which is long famed for producing boxing legends has traditionally relegated women to the sidelines. But Quartey refused to back down, even as aunts and siblings pleaded with her coach to steer her away from the sport. Trained at the gritty Black Panthers Gym, the only champions in her corner were her brother and coach Ebenezer “Coach Killer” Adjei.
Her journey, has been far from smooth. In 2017, financial pressure forced Quartey to quit boxing and sell lottery tickets. It wasn’t until 2021, after persistent encouragement from her coach, that she found her way back into the ring. Without a manager or major sponsorship, she trained under tough circumstances in a sport dominated by men and often neglected in Ghana.
Sarah Lotus Asare, head of the Girls Box Tournament, praised the achievement as a defining moment for Ghanaian boxing. Even male fighters, she noted, struggle due to limited facilities making Quartey’s success even more remarkable. Coach Adjei remarked, saying her title is “a big deal for her, the gym, the community, Ghana, Africa and the world at large”.
Perhaps her greatest impact lies in inspiration. Young women like 18-year-old Perpetual Okaijah, who trains alongside Quartey have begun to see boxing as an achievable dream despite cultural pressure. As Quartey says, “I am a world title holder and that confirms that what a man can do, a woman can also do”.
From selling rice and lottery tickets to fighting on the global stage, Abigail Quartey’s story is one of unrelenting courage as she redefines female athleticism in Ghana and igniting change across Africa.
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