Joseph Bessala

Joseph Bessala ( born January 1, 1941 in Douala, † April 24, 2010 in Yaoundé ) was a Cameroonian welterweight boxer.

Amateur

Bessala won 1965 African Games in Brazzaville and two-time African Cup welterweight ( -67 kg ): 1966 in Lagos (Final victory over Eddie Blay ) and in 1968 in Lusaka, there with a final victory over the Zambians Julius Luipa, against whom he was able to win at the Olympics. In the Military World Championships 1967 in Fort Meade, he won after a final defeat by Günther Meier, Germany, the silver medal.

At the 1968 Olympic Games in Mexico City Bessala then won the silver medal. In the final he defeated Manfred cloud from the GDR.

Professional

In October Bessala started his professional career with a first round victory by technical knockout over the Belgian Jean -Pierre Heirmann. Six more wins followed, then a draw and five more times. The last victory in November 1974 on Eddie Blay from Ghana, who in 1964 won the bronze medal in the light welterweight, earned him the Africa title at welterweight. The title in January 1976 Salam Ouedraogo from the Ivory Coast took him off again. After a long break Bessala won the African Cup of Nations in June 1978 by his compatriot Bechir Boundka back. In his sixteenth fight Bessala wanted to defend the title again. But Mimoun Mohatar from Morocco beat him in December 1978 in the twelfth round knockout. Bessala drew the consequences and stepped away from the sport of boxing.