Former WBO super bantamweight champion Isaac Dogboe has opened up about the difficulties of managing mental health as a professional boxer, calling for greater awareness and support for athletes.

The Ghanaian permanently etched his name into the nation’s history books in 2018 when he defeated Mexican boxer Jessie Magdaleno to become Ghana’s eighth world champion.

However, Dogboe’s career has also been marked by difficult moments, most notably his successive defeats to Mexico’s Emmanuel Navarrete, which saw him lose his world title.

Speaking exclusively to Joy Sports, Dogboe revealed that dealing with the mental and emotional challenges during those difficult periods was tough and stressed the need for greater attention to athletes’ mental well-being.

“It drives you nuts. Sometimes it’s a little bit deeper than it seems. Our sport or industry is such that we’re constantly portraying strength. When you’re hurt, you have to get up and act like you’re okay.

“It’s difficult to find someone to talk to through all of this because you’re constantly thinking about your previous fights, your next bout…so many things running through your mind. Sometimes, combining that with family becomes difficult.”