Francis Ampofo: British and Commonwealth Flyweight Champion
Francis “The Pocket Battleship” Ampofo was a Ghanaian-born British flyweight who boxed professionally from 1990 to 2002. He won the British and Commonwealth flyweight titles during his career and challenged Jake Matlala for a world title in 1994.
Flyweight Titles and World Challenge
Ampofo won the British flyweight title in 1991 and again in 1992. He later held the Commonwealth flyweight title. On June 11, 1994, he challenged South Africa’s Jake Matlala for the WBO flyweight championship at York Hall in London. Matlala retained the title when Ampofo’s corner stopped the fight after nine rounds. Contemporary reports from The Independent and the BoxRec records for Ampofo document the bout and result.
BoxRec lists Ampofo’s professional record as 17 wins and 11 losses, with 12 victories by knockout. In 2002, after a 12-year career and a failed bid for a world title, he announced his retirement, according to The Independent.
Life After Boxing
A 2022 profile reported that Ampofo had become a poultry farmer in England. The report said his farm produced nearly 2,500 eggs a day at the time. Face2Face Africa’s profile covered his transition from boxing to farming.
Sources
- BoxRec — Francis Ampofo profile and bout record
- The Independent — Matlala retains WBO title over Ampofo (June 1994)
- The Independent — Ampofo announces retirement (2002)
- Face2Face Africa — Ampofo’s move from boxing to poultry farming (2022)
Career records and reporting: boxrec.com.
Tags
Boxing, Boxing History
