Ekow Essuman

Ekow Essuman born March 30, 1989, in Botswana, is a British professional boxer who later moved to Nottingham, United Kingdom, where he resides. Starting boxing at the age of 17, which is considered relatively late, he quickly made up for lost time by earning a place among the UK’s elite amateurs. He reached the finals of the prestigious Amateur Boxing Association (ABA) Championships twice, facing strong opponents like Conor Loftus and Ben Fail. These performances helped him secure a place on Team GB, where he first joined the Podium Potential Team before moving up to the full Podium Squad, a recognition of his growing potential and technical development. Essuman also competed in the World Series of Boxing, an elite international competition that blends amateur and professional styles. Throughout his amateur journey, he secured victories over future professionals such as Tommy Langford and Anthony Fowler, both of whom went on to make names for themselves in the paid ranks.

Ekow Essuman made his professional debut on December 1, 2016, securing a points victory over Andrej Cepur. He quickly rose through the ranks, capturing the English welterweight title in October 2018 with a fifth-round TKO over Andy Keates. He defended this title successfully against Tyrone Nurse in March 2019. In July 2021, Essuman won the British and Commonwealth welterweight titles by defeating Chris Jenkins via eighth-round TKO. He defended these titles against Danny Ball in October 2021, winning by sixth-round KO, and continued his successful run with victories over Darren Tetley, Samuel Antwi, and Chris Kongo. His unbeaten streak ended in November 2023 when he lost a unanimous decision to Harry Scarff, relinquishing his British, Commonwealth, and IBF European titles. However, Essuman rebounded in July 2024 by capturing the WBO European welterweight title with a tenth-round TKO over Owen Cooper. He defended this title successfully against Ben Vaughan in November 2024.

Ekow has expressed a desire to focus solely on boxing without the distractions of promotional responsibilities. He enjoys a good meal, particularly a ten-ounce ribeye steak from Miller and Carter, and has mentioned shedding happy tears related to his children. Ekow Essuman continues to train under Barrington Brown and remains a prominent figure in British boxing.

Ekow Essuman, known as “The Engine,” fights with an intense, forward-driving style rooted in grit, awareness, and high-level technical execution. Though built with broad, muscular shoulders and thick arms that would usually suggest a fighter prone to early fatigue, Essuman fights with his mind as much as his body. He’s no blunt-force athlete—he’s an intelligent, physically aware technician. His style reflects not just British schooling but also something deeper, something ancestral, like wielding a West African sword. His jab is short, firm, and disruptive—employed less as a range finder and more like a blade that interrupts the rhythm of his opponents. It doesn’t always come in high volume, but it is placed with purpose, snapping into the central line to keep his opponents unsettled and reactive.

Essuman’s footwork is grounded yet fluid. He doesn’t waste steps; instead, he stalks his opponents, cuts off the ring, and patiently shrinks the space. He employs a basketball-like shuffle, bouncing slightly in and out, creating the illusion of retreat only to spring forward again like a lion. His control of mid-range is exceptional—he often forces opponents to the ropes or corners and then resets with a subtle pullback, inviting mistakes or psychological openings.

In terms of power, he doesn’t rely on knockouts; instead, he punishes his opponents. His combinations target vital points—the chin, nose, solar plexus, and especially the shoulders. This strategic targeting softens resistance and saps energy, as Essuman knows that the body is the foundation of the spirit. His inside game is both educated and relentless, attacking with looping hooks and digging shots while keeping his chin tucked and his stance balanced. Like many Afro-Caribbean fighters, he bends and twists to protect himself while unleashing sudden torque and force, effectively breaking down his opponent’s defenses until they can no longer lift their guard.

Tactically, he is a rhythm-breaker. He prefers to fight on the front foot, pressing forward behind a tight guard, but he is never predictable. He feints, steps out, pauses, and attacks with an ambush mentality. He understands his opponent's mindset and plays with pace, using rhythm disruption to lure them into technical traps—forcing them to square up, expose their weaknesses, or lose composure. He doesn’t just box in straight lines; he subtly shifts side-to-side, catching opponents off-balance while they attempt to escape backward.