Osumanu Adama


Osumamu Adama is a Ghanaian professional boxer in the middleweight division, and the first middleweight titleholder from Ghana.

Early life

One of nine children, Osamamu grew up in Accra into a large family, and helped to take care of his six sisters and two brothers. His late mother worked in a grocery store, and his father worked in an ice cream factory. Osumamu attended Kotobabi Technical Institute High School in Accra, and earned a four-year college diploma in mechanical engineering. He later worked as a mechanical engineer for a company in Accra. Whilst growing, his favorite sport was playing soccer, which he still enjoys.

Amateur boxing career and Olympics

Osumanu Adama compiled an amateur boxing record of 54–4 with twenty knockouts in Ghana as a light middleweight. He fought in all Africa games in 1999, where he was silver medalist. He also fought in Turkey and in Spain and he won a silver medal in 2000 before the Olympic Games. He was training in Cuba that time. He won an International boxing tournament gold medal in Indianapolis, Indiana, at 69 kilograms. He represented Ghana Boxing at the 2000 Summer Olympics at Darling Harbour in Sydney, Australia, losing in the third round leading by 10 points during the competition when the referee stopped the contest in the third round of his bout against Mohamed Marmouri of Tunisia.

Professional career

Early career

Adama turned professional in 2001, with a second-round knockout of Akeem Alarape in the Kaneshie Sports Complex in Accra, racking up seventeen wins in Ghana between 2001 and 2010. His first two bouts in the United States in August 2009 and April 2010 were fought without proper training time at super middleweight and light heavyweight, and Adama lost two close decisions.

IBO and USBA titles

Adama then moved from North Miami, Florida to Chicago and signed with boxing manager Wasfi Tolaymat of the Chicago Fight Club and train under Joseph Awinongya. On December 17, 2010, at UIC Pavilion in Chicago, Adama won his first title, the vacant IBO international middleweight championship, the first middleweight titleholder ever from Ghana, by twelve round unanimous decision over contender Angel Hernandez. Scoring for the bout was 120–108, 120–108, and 119–109, with Adama winning 35 of 36 rounds on the judges' scorecards. After knocking out Marcus Upshaw to win the vacant USBA middleweight title and achieve the IBF's #1 middleweight contender rating. Adama lost a decision for the IBF World Middleweight title in Tasmania in March 2012 against IBF World champion Daniel Geale. After not fighting for over a year, Adama won a split decision over ten rounds over Grady Brewer in March 2013, and was ranked 16th in the world by BoxRec. Between 2010 and 2015, Adama was being trained by former Ghanaian Boxer Joseph Awinongya.

Adama vs. Golovkin

Adama then earned a bout against Gennady Golovkin for the WBA and IBO middleweight titles. Coming into the fight, Adama was ranked #12 by the WBA. The fight took place in Monte Carlo at the Salle des Etoiles on February 1, 2014. He lost by seventh round stoppage. At the end of the first round, Adama got dropped by Golovkin with a solid jab and right hand. Golovkin went on to drop Adama again in the sixth round by landing two sharp left hooks to his head, and then again in the seventh round with a hard jab. Golovkin then nailed Adama with a left hook to the jaw, sending Adama staggering and forcing the referee to stop the bout. At the time of stoppage, one judge had it 60–52 and the other two at 59–53 in favor of Golovkin.

Personal life

In 2018, Osumanu married his lovely wife.

Professional boxing record

No.ResultRecordOpponentTypeRound, timeDateLocationNotes
32Loss27–5Alex TheranUD6May 1, 2021Olympia Athletic Center, Saint Charles, Missouri, US
31Win27–4Lawrence BlakeyTKO3, 1:31Nov 1, 2019Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, Indiana, US
30Win26–4Zachariah KelleyTKO4, 2:38Mar 22, 2019Horseshoe Casino, Hammond, Indiana, US
29Win25–4David OkaiTKO2 Feb 4, 2017Seconds Out Boxing Gymnasium, Accra, Ghana
28Win24–4Stephen AbbeyUD8Apr 30, 2015Cuzzy Bro's, Accra, Ghana
27Win23–4David OkaiTKO7, 2:13Feb 27, 2015Lebanon House, Accra, Ghana
26Loss22–4Gennady GolovkinTKO7 Feb 1, 2014Salle des Étoiles, Monte Carlo, MonacoFor WBA and IBO middleweight titles
25Win22–3Doel CarrasquilloRTD6 Jul 26, 2013Cicero Stadium, Cicero, Illinois, US
24Win21–3Grady BrewerSD10Mar 16, 2013Tsongas Center, Lowell, Massachusetts, US
23Loss20–3Daniel GealeUD12Mar 7, 2012Derwent Entertainment Centre, Hobart, AustraliaFor IBF middleweight title
22Win20–2Roman KarmazinTKO9, 0:58Oct 7, 2011The Club Chicago, Burbank, Illinois, US
21Win19–2Marcus UpshawTKO4, 0:42Mar 25, 2011Hanging Gardens, River Grove, Illinois, USWon vacant USBA and IBO Inter-Continental middleweight titles
20Win18–2Ángel HernándezUD12Dec 17, 2010UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, USWon vacant IBO International middleweight title
19Loss17–2Donovan GeorgeUD8Apr 30, 2010UIC Pavilion, Chicago, Illinois, US
18Win17–1Josival TeixeiraTKO7 Feb 6, 2010Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana
17Win16–1Mohammed AkrongTKO6 Dec 26, 2009Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, Accra, GhanaRetained ABU middleweight title
16Win15–1Musa AdamTKO2 Sep 26, 2009Ohene Djan Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana
15Win14–1Anyetei SowahKO1 Sep 12, 2009Globe Cinema, Accra, Ghana
14Loss13–1Dyah DavisUD6Aug 21, 2009Miami Beach Resort & Spa, Miami Beach, Florida, US
13Win13–0Philip DarahRTD1, 3:00Nov 22, 2008Methodist School Park, Teshie, Ghana
12Win12–0Roman VanickyUD6Jul 29, 2008Laser Show Hall, Bobycentrum, Brno, Czech Republic
11Win11–0Patrik HruskaUD8Oct 27, 2007Hotel Hilton, Prague, Czech Republic
10Win10–0Issa SowTKO2, 2:18Jan 14, 2005Azumah Nelson Sports Complex, Accra, Ghana
9Win9–0Mathurin SechegbeTKO3 Oct 29, 2004Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, GhanaWon vacant
8Win8–0Mathurin SechegbeTKO3, 1:24Jul 30, 2004Kaneshie Sports Complex, Accra, GhanaRetained WABU light middleweight title;
Won vacant WBO Africa light middleweight title
7Win7–0Issa SowKO2 Jan 14, 2004Accra, Ghana
6Win6–0Ayitey PowersUD12Aug 15, 2003Kaneshie Sports Complex, Accra, GhanaWon vacant WABU and Ghanaian light middleweight titles
5Win5–0Dick DossehKO4 Jun 28, 2003Globe Cinema, Accra, GhanaWon vacant WABU and Ghanaian middleweight titles
4Win4–0Robinson KutsokeyKO1, 1:07Feb 8, 2002Accra Sports Stadium, Accra, GhanaRetained Ghanaian light middleweight title;
Won vacant
3Win3–0Marciano CommeyTKO2 Nov 30, 2001Kaneshie Sports Complex, Accra, GhanaWon vacant Ghanaian light middleweight title
2Win2–0George AmuzuPTS6Jul 6, 2001Kumasi, Ghana
1Win1–0Akeem AlarapeKO2 May 25, 2001Kaneshie Sports Complex, Accra, Ghana