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Bantamweight Contender Prince Octopus Dzanie Grabs No. 11 Rating

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Bantamweight Contender Prince Octopus Dzanie Grabs No. 11 Rating

Hear ye, hear ye, gather round, we got news on the man with the best name in pro boxing, Prince Octopus Dzanie.

I told you about the Prince, a bantamweight contender from Ghana, who fights under the Salita Promotions banner.

Click here if you missed the story which shares the origin of that eye and ear-catching name, why Prince Octopus Dzanie got into the sport and what aspirations he holds.

Prince Octopus Dzanie, that is his birth name, for the record.

Here is a release sent out by Salita and company, informing us about a development in the career of the Prince:

Salita Promotions is proud to announce that exciting, undefeated Ghanaian prospect Prince Octopus Dzanie officially entered the IBF’s world rankings for 118-lb bantamweight fighters this month at #11.

Dzanie (now 22-0, 18 KOs) was last seen battering veteran countryman Sherif Kareem (9-3, 7 KOs) over five one-sided rounds at the Bukom Boxing Arena in Ghana. Before turning professional in 2012, the long-armed power puncher was a three-time Ghanaian Champion and an All-Africa Bronze Medalist. He also represented his homeland of Ghana at the 2008 Olympics in Beijing China.

Prince Octopus Dzanie is now a world-rated fighter, fighting under the respected Salita promotional banner, with well-known manager Vinny Scolpino of VMS Management handling business and his trainers from the prestigious Akotoku Boxing Academy that has already produced such boxing legends as Azumah Nelson, Ike Quartey, David “Poison” Kotey, Hector Clottey, Judas Clottey, Kpakpo Allotey and late Alfred Kotey.

“I thank my promoter and management team for getting me into the world rankings of the IBF at the number 11,” said an excited Prince Octopus Dzanie. “It is a great step toward realizing my dream of becoming a world champion and I'll work hard till the dream is achieved!”

“I am really happy that Prince Octopus Dzanie is now ranked in the top 15,” said Vincent Scolpino, who has also worked with well-known veteran Hank Lundy and dangerous featherweight contender Eric Hunter from Philadelphia. “Opportunities are now closer than ever for Prince to get a tittle shot and bring another would champion to Ghana. I can’t wait to get him into that big fight.”

Promoter Salita, a longtime Brooklyn resident, says he’s happy with Prince’s progress since signing him earlier this year.

“Prince is the best fighter coming out of Africa right now, a continent growing with opportunities and in need of a boxing star like Azumah Nelson or Ike Quartey,” said Salita. “Prince Octopus Dzanie has the skills and personality to be King of the Bantamweight division, I believe his reign is right around the corner. I’m happy the IBF has chosen to bring him into their important rankings.”

The current IBF Bantamweight Champion is Japan’s Naoya Inoue. Inoue is the unified IBF and WBA Champion.

About Salita Promotions

Salita Promotions was founded in 2010 by Dmitriy Salita, a professional boxer and world-title challenger who saw the need for a promotional entity to feature boxing's best young prospects and established contenders in North America and around the world. Viewers watching fighters on worldwide television networks including Showtime, HBO, ESPN, Spike TV, Universal Sports Network, UFC Fight Pass, DAZN, ESPN+ and MSG have enjoyed Salita Promotions fight action in recent years. We pride ourselves on offering our fighters opportunities inside and outside the ring. Salita Promotions looks forward to continuing to grow and serve the needs of fight fans around the globe.

Founder/editor Michael Woods got addicted to boxing in 1990, when Buster Douglas shocked the world with his demolition of the then-impregnable Mike Tyson. The Brooklyn-based journalist has covered the sport since for ESPN The Magazine, ESPN.com, Bad Left Hook and RING. His journalism career started with NY Newsday in 1999. Michael Woods is also an accomplished blow by blow and color man, having done work for Top Rank, DiBella Entertainment, EPIX, and for Facebook Fightnight Live, since 2017.