Quartey Wins Ghana’s First Women’s Boxing World Title
Abigail Kwartekaa Quartey made history on November 24, 2024, when she defeated Britain’s Sangeeta Birdi by unanimous decision to win the Women’s International Boxing Federation (WIBF) world super bantamweight title. All three judges scored it 98–91. The result made Quartey Ghana’s first woman to win a world boxing title. She has also been clear that women boxed in Ghana before her; her achievement was becoming the country’s first female world titleholder. Ghana Broadcasting Corporation reported the result and scorecards, while an Associated Press profile records her distinction and her comments about earlier Ghanaian women boxers.
From Jamestown back to the ring
Quartey grew up in Accra’s Jamestown neighborhood and began training with encouragement from her brother and coach, Ebenezer “Coach Killer” Adjei. The path was not steady: she stopped boxing in 2017 while facing financial pressure and returned in 2021 after her coach persuaded her to resume. She built her professional career in Ghana before earning the title opportunity against Birdi at Bukom Boxing Arena. The AP profile documents her early career, her break from boxing and return, and the support of her brother and coach.
A historic title and a comeback
The championship win carried significance beyond the belt. Quartey became the first Ghanaian woman to hold a world boxing title, while also drawing attention to the barriers women face in the sport. In the AP interview, she said women had boxed in Ghana before her but were not allowed to travel outside the country. Her milestone is specific: she was Ghana’s first female world champion, not its first woman boxer. The AP report includes her remarks and describes the barriers she faced.
After a long stretch without a bout, Quartey returned on November 29, 2025, against Taiye Kodjo in Tarkwa. The fight ended by technical knockout at 2:00 of the third round, with Kodjo retiring. The result brought Quartey’s professional record to 10 wins and one loss. The event record lists the third-round retirement, and Boxing Ghana reported Quartey’s win in the event.
The next opportunity was cancelled
In May 2026, Quartey was announced for a Commonwealth Super Bantamweight Silver title fight with Britain’s Cassidy Todd in Scotland. The bout was listed as cancelled before the event and did not add a result to her record. As of October 14, 2026, no later completed fight appears in the reviewed listings. The planned contest followed Quartey’s public frustration about inactivity after her world-title win and a change in management. ModernGhana reported the scheduled bout and her comments about inactivity; Tapology lists the Todd–Quartey bout as cancelled prior to the event.
A landmark that still matters
Quartey’s title remains a landmark in Ghanaian boxing, and her career also shows how difficult it can be to keep a champion active without regular opportunities. Her win over Birdi put her name into the country’s history; her return against Kodjo showed she was still competing, even as the next planned international bout fell through.
Sources
Tags: Boxing, Combat Sports
