# Joseph Agbeko

Joseph Agbeko (born 22 March 1980) is a Ghanaian professional boxer. He is a two-time former bantamweight world champion, having held the IBF title twice between 2007 and 2011. Additionally he held the Commonwealth bantamweight title from 2004 to 2006; the IBO bantamweight title in 2013; and has challenged once for a super bantamweight world title in 2013.

## Professional career

On September 29, 2007, he dethroned Luis Alberto Perez to become the new IBF bantamweight titleholder. Agbeko was inactive for 1 year, 2 months and 11 days before defending his title on December 11, 2008. In a fight that had been repeatedly postponed, he defeated William Gonzalez by majority decision. On July 11, 2009, Agbeko successfully defended his IBF bantamweight title by scoring a unanimous decision win over former two division champion Vic Darchinyan. On Halloween night, October 31, 2009, Agbeko lost his IBF title by 12 round unanimous decision to 20-0 Colombian challenger Yonnhy Pérez.

### Perez vs. Agbeko II

On December 11, 2010, Agbeko was given the chance to regain his IBF title when he took on Yonnhy Pérez in the semi-finals of the Showtime Bantamweight tournament, which was televised live from The Battle at the Boat series at the Emerald Queen Casino in Tacoma, Washington. Rather than brawling as he had done in his first fight with Pérez, Agbeko chose to use his boxing skills and stiff jab to cruise to a unanimous decision victory, with the judges scoring it 116–112, 117-111 and 115–113. Also on the card was Abner Mares, who defeated Vic Darchinyan via controversial split-decision to advance to the finals and a showdown with Agbeko.

### Agbeko vs. Mares

"King Kong" Agbeko was scheduled to take on Abner Mares in the Bantamweight Tournament Final: Winner Takes All on Saturday, April 23, on Showtime. However, Agbeko pulled out of the fight just days prior, citing an injury, and the fight was rescheduled for August 13 in Las Vegas.
The fight ensued as scheduled on the 13th. However, the focal point of the fight became referee Russell Mora who repeatedly warned Mares for low blows without taking a point. To Agbeko's credit, despite at least 23 blows to the belt and below, he did not retaliate in kind.
Post fight, Jim Gray continued Showtime's lambasting of Mora in an interview where he plainly showed the crucial call that turned the fight, a low blow in the 11th leading to a knockdown.
In all there were two knockdowns. The first coming early could have been called a slip but a punch was landed. The second was the result of what was definitely a low blow. It is possible that without the knockdown, Mares would not have won the fight. The scoring read 115–111, 115-111 and 113-113.

### Retirement

Agbeko announced his retirement from professional boxing on 14 August 2024, having not fought for four years.

## Professional boxing record

| 43 fights | 38 wins | 5 losses |
| By knockout | 28 | 0 |
| By decision | 10 | 5 |
| No. | Result | Record | Opponent | Type | Round, time | Date | Location | Notes |
| 43 | Win | 38–5 | Albert Commey | TKO | 5 (10), 1:07 | 26 Dec 2020 | Idrowhyt Event Centre, Accra, Ghana | |
| 42 | Win | 37–5 | Gabriel Ochieng | TKO | 9 (12), 2:30 | 2 Nov 2019 | Aborigenes Beach Resort, Keta, Ghana | Retained WBO Africa bantamweight title |
| 41 | Win | 36–5 | Hashimu Zuberi | UD | 12 | 19 Apr 2019 | Aborigenes Beach Resort, Keta, Ghana | Retained WBO Africa bantamweight title |
| 40 | Win | 35–5 | Ekow Wilson | TKO | 10 (12) | 8 Sep 2018 | Woezer Hotel, Ho, Ghana | Retained WBO Africa bantamweight title |
| 39 | Win | 34–5 | Frank Kiwalabye | UD | 12 | 30 Mar 2018 | Mission Ga School Park, Aflao, Ghana | Won vacant WBO Africa bantamweight title |
| 38 | Win | 33–5 | Abdul Malik Jabir | TKO | 10 (10) | 3 Nov 2017 | Aborigines Beach Resort, Keta, Ghana | |
| 37 | Win | 32–5 | Martin Ahiadekey | TKO | 7 (8) | 14 Oct 2017 | City Engineers Yard, Accra, Ghana | |
| 36 | Win | 31–5 | Haji Juma | UD | 10 | 28 Oct 2016 | Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana | |
| 35 | Win | 30–5 | Juanito Rubillar | TKO | 4 (10), 1:31 | 30 May 2015 | County Coliseum, El Paso, Texas, US | |
| 34 | Loss | 29–5 | Guillermo Rigondeaux | UD | 12 | 7 Dec 2013 | Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, New Jersey, US | For WBA (Super), WBO, and The Ring super bantamweight titles |
| 33 | Win | 29–4 | Luis Melendez | UD | 12 | 22 Mar 2013 | Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana | Won vacant IBO bantamweight title |
| 32 | Loss | 28–4 | Abner Mares | UD | 12 | 3 Dec 2011 | Honda Center, Anaheim, California, US | For WBC Silver and IBF bantamweight titles |
| 31 | Loss | 28–3 | Abner Mares | MD | 12 | 13 Aug 2011 | The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, US | Lost IBF bantamweight title; For WBC Silver bantamweight title |
| 30 | Win | 28–2 | Yonnhy Pérez | UD | 12 | 11 Dec 2010 | Emerald Queen Casino, Tacoma, Washington, US | Won IBF bantamweight title |
| 29 | Loss | 27–2 | Yonnhy Pérez | UD | 12 | 31 Oct 2009 | Treasure Island Hotel and Casino, Paradise, Nevada, US | Lost IBF bantamweight title |
| 28 | Win | 27–1 | Vic Darchinyan | UD | 12 | 11 Jul 2009 | BankAtlantic Center, Sunrise, Florida, US | Retained IBF bantamweight title |
| 27 | Win | 26–1 | William Gonzalez | MD | 12 | 11 Dec 2008 | Prudential Center, Newark, New Jersey, US | Retained IBF bantamweight title |
| 26 | Win | 25–1 | Luis Alberto Pérez | RTD | 7 (12), 3:00 | 29 Sep 2007 | ARCO Arena, Sacramento, California, US | Won IBF bantamweight title |
| 25 | Win | 24–1 | Fidencio Reyes | TKO | 4 (8), 1:23 | 9 Aug 2007 | The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, US | |
| 24 | Win | 23–1 | Baba Nsor | TKO | 4 | 23 Mar 2007 | Azumah Nelson Sports Complex, Accra, Ghana | |
| 23 | Win | 22–1 | Sumaila Badu | UD | 12 | 29 Oct 2004 | Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana | Won vacant Commonwealth bantamweight title |
| 22 | Loss | 21–1 | Volodymyr Sydorenko | MD | 12 | 18 May 2004 | Hansehalle, Lübeck, Germany | For EBA bantamweight title |
| 21 | Win | 21–0 | Cedric Conway | TKO | 6 (10) | 13 Jun 2003 | Sports Stadium, Accra, Ghana | |
| 20 | Win | 20–0 | Charlemagne Agbotomey | TKO | 4 (10), 1:02 | 4 Oct 2002 | Globe Cinema, Accra, Ghana | |
| 19 | Win | 19–0 | Sabin Bornei | TKO | 6 (12), 1:30 | 10 May 2002 | Britannia International Hotel, London, England | Retained WBF (Federation) bantamweight title |
| 18 | Win | 18–0 | Michael Kizza | TKO | 2 (12) | 8 Sep 2001 | Kaneshie Sports Complex, Accra, Ghana | Won vacant WBF (Federation) bantamweight title |
| 17 | Win | 17–0 | Faustin Rostand | TKO | 2 (6) | 27 Jul 2001 | Kaneshie Sports Complex, Accra, Ghana | |
| 16 | Win | 16–0 | Ganiyu Olafimihan | KO | 2 | 6 Jun 2001 | Ghana | |
| 15 | Win | 15–0 | Moses Kennedy | KO | 2 | 4 May 2001 | Ivory Coast | |
| 14 | Win | 14–0 | Mike Orlando | KO | 4 | 24 Mar 2001 | Nigeria | |
| 13 | Win | 13–0 | Chris Bandel | KO | 2 | 20 Mar 2001 | Ivory Coast | |
| 12 | Win | 12–0 | Johannes Maisa | UD | 12 | 14 Nov 2000 | Carnival City, Brakpan, South Africa | Retained African bantamweight title |
| 11 | Win | 11–0 | Arouma Yessoufou | KO | 1 | 7 Oct 2000 | Benin | |
| 10 | Win | 10–0 | Laurent Zakpo | KO | 2 | 29 Aug 2000 | Benin | |
| 9 | Win | 9–0 | Ola Balougon | TKO | 2 (12), 0:52 | 5 May 2000 | Accra, Ghana | Won vacant African bantamweight title |
| 8 | Win | 8–0 | Friday Fatunji Felix | KO | 1 (10) | 16 Oct 1999 | Nigeria | |
| 7 | Win | 7–0 | Freddy Mutala | KO | 7 | 19 Sep 1999 | Senegal | |
| 6 | Win | 6–0 | Abdul Malik Jabir | KO | 1 (12) | 30 Jul 1999 | Kaneshie Sports Complex, Accra, Ghana | Won vacant Ghanaian bantamweight title |
| 5 | Win | 5–0 | Patrice Owai | PTS | 6 | 4 Jun 1999 | Benin | |
| 4 | Win | 4–0 | Roland Igbafei | TKO | 2 | 1 May 1999 | Accra, Ghana | |
| 3 | Win | 3–0 | Ray Medoza | KO | 8 | 4 Apr 1999 | Ivory Coast | |
| 2 | Win | 2–0 | Laurent Zakpo | KO | 2 | 13 Mar 1999 | Togo | |
| 1 | Win | 1–0 | Agaitor Yao | KO | 1 (6) | 16 Dec 1998 | Kaneshie Sports Complex, Accra, Ghana | |

## Honors

In 2010, to honor Joseph's exploits in the sport of boxing, the town of Sogakope in the Volta Region of Ghana enstooled him as a warrior chief. His enstoolment name was Togbe Kaletor I, which means 'Brave Warrior.'