Joseph Agbeko

Joseph Agbeko, who fights under the name King Kong, was a two-time bantamweight world champion and Ghana’s fifth boxer to win a world title, known for his relentless, come-forward style.

Early life

He was born on 22 March 1980 in Accra. King Kong is not a ring nickname but a name given to him at birth in Ghana, one that suited the aggressive, powerful fighter he became.

World champion

On 29 September 2007 he dethroned Luis Alberto Perez to win the IBF bantamweight title, becoming Ghana’s fifth world champion after DK Poison, Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey and Alfred Kotey. He successfully defended the title, including a win over the former two-division champion Vic Darchinyan in 2009.

The Perez and Mares fights

He lost the belt to Yonnhy Perez in 2009, then reclaimed it in a rematch fourteen months later, a gutsy comeback that he named the most memorable achievement of his career. He later lost the title to Mexico’s Abner Mares in 2011.

Record and legacy

He finished with 38 wins, 28 by knockout, from 43 fights. After retiring he turned to developing young Ghanaian boxers, launching a fight series to keep the country’s tradition alive.

More About This Person

The Legends of Ghanaian Boxing