David Kotey popularly known as “D.K. Poison.” was born on December 7th, 1950 in Accra. He became Ghana’s, first world featherweight boxing champion between 1975 and 1976 and was the first Ghanaian professional boxer to win a world title.
D.K. Poison began his amateur career in Accra. He is one of many boxers spawned by Bukom, a suburb in the heart of the city populated by the Ga people. Many top Ghanaian boxers such as Roy Ankrah, Azumah Nelson, Alfred Kotey and Ike Quartey are all products of Bukom.
David Kotey turned professional under trainer Attuquaye Clottey. His first professional bout was on February 5th1966 in Accra, when he outpointed his opponent over six rounds. He became the national featherweight champion that year. Although he fought once in neighboring Togo in 1967, all of his subsequent fights through 1971 were in Ghana. In 1972, however, he fought as much as seven times in Australia, winning five of those fights and losing two. He won the African featherweight title on February 2nd, 1974 when he knocked out Tahar Ben Hassen in the first round of a scheduled 15 round fight in Tunis, Tunisia. Later, on December 7th, 1974, he won the Commonwealth featherweight title with a tenth round technical knockout over British boxer Evans Armstrong. This victory gave him an opportunity to challenge for the World Boxing Council version of the world title. On September 20th, 1975, in the Forum, Inglewood, California, United States, he outpointed and beat Rubén Olivares by split decision over 15 rounds to become the first Ghanaian world boxing champion. Kotey relinquished the African and Commonwealth titles following this victory. The Ghana government gave him an estate house at Teshie-Nungua, an Accra suburb, in honor of his achievements. He, however, lost the title in his third defence on November 6th, 1976 by a unanimous points decision to Danny “Little Red” Lopez in a fierce fight in Accra, Ghana.
DK Poison was never the same again after this defeat. He failed in 1978 to regain either the world or commonwealth featherweight titles. His last professional bout was in 1989 where he lost an African lightweight title fight.
LEGENDS OF GHANA BOXING:
D.K. POISON – FIRST TO WIN A WORLD TITLE
By Sammy Heywood Okine