Comms and branding with Samuel OWUSU-ADUOMI: SARAH LOTUS ASARE: The woman turning boxing into heritage, education and empowerment

In a sport long defined by its bruising battles and celebrated champions, one woman is quietly rewriting the narrative. Sarah Lotus Asare, a cultural curator and PhD student in Museum and Heritage Studies, is on a mission to rebrand boxing – not as violence, but heritage, education and empowerment.

With her new book, B for Bukom: An Alphabetical Tour of Ghana’s Boxing Heritage and Heroes, she has transformed the sport’s gritty world into a colorful, relatable storybook for children and adults alike. By blending culture, scholarship and advocacy, Sarah has carved out a novel role in Ghana’s sporting landscape: that of boxing’s strategist, storyteller and cultural ambassador.

The rise of a cultural strategist

Sarah Lotus Asare’s story is not one of gloves and glory in the ring, but of vision and voice outside it. Her journey into boxing began in the University of Ghana lecture halls, where a term paper on why people box sparked a deeper curiosity. That curiosity evolved into a full academic pursuit, positioning her today as a PhD student in Museum and Heritage Studies and one of the most thoughtful advocates for Ghanaian boxing heritage.

Her career path reflects a balance of intellectual rigour and grassroots commitment. Sarah has worn many hats in Ghana’s boxing ecosystem: Administrator at Wisdom Boxing Gym, Board Member of the Greater Accra Boxing Association and currently Executive Secretary of WBC Cares Africa, where she links global champions with local communities for social impact.

But beyond the titles, what makes Sarah’s role remarkable is her ability to weave the past and present together. In Jamestown – the cradle of Ghana’s boxing legacy – she found inspiration to tell a broader story: that boxing is more than just a fight. It is culture, history and a platform for empowerment. This realisation led her to curate Astwere Sane: Aspects of Ghana’s Boxing Heritage, an exhibition at the University of Ghana that placed boxing side by side with the nation’s other cultural treasures.

In a field mostly dominated by promoters, trainers and fighters, Sarah has carved out her own lane. She is not a boxer in the traditional sense; she is a strategist, a curator, and above all, a cultural diplomat. Through her work, boxing is no longer confined to the ring — it is reframed as a living heritage worth preserving, celebrating, and exporting to the world.

Rebranding boxing beyond the ring

To Sarah Lotus Asare, boxing is not just about two fighters locked in a ring – it is a reflection of discipline, identity and opportunity. Her philosophy is clear: boxing must be rebranded as more than fists flying. It should be seen as a structured lifestyle that can empower youth, elevate communities and preserve Ghana’s cultural story.

At the heart of this vision is Jamestown’s Bukom, the small coastal enclave widely known as the cradle of Ghanaian boxing. For decades, Bukom has produced some of the nation’s finest fighters – from Azumah Nelson to Ike Quartey. Yet Sarah insists that the story of Bukom goes beyond producing champions; it’s about heritage. In her eyes, every gym, every juvenile tournament and every coach is a cultural marker that deserves recognition alongside Ghana’s castles, festivals and monuments.

Her rebranding effort therefore hinges on shifting perception. Boxing should not be dismissed as mere violence or entertainment for the streets; rather, it should be embraced as an educational tool and an economic asset. Through books, curated exhibitions, advocacy projects and global partnerships, Sarah frames boxing as an art form – one that carries discipline, values and identity.

By positioning herself as both scholar and strategist, she has successfully reimagined boxing as a platform for social good. Whether it is inspiring girls to take up the sport through her ‘Girls Box’ project or organising cultural experiences that blend tourism with boxing history, Sarah presents the sport as a bridge between Ghana’s past and its modern aspirations.

B for Bukom: A novel book for all ages

If Sarah’s vision for boxing needed a tangible symbol, B for Bukom is it. The book is not a typical sports manual or history text; instead, it is a colorful, alphabetical journey through Ghana’s boxing heritage, crafted to be both educational and enjoyable.

Each letter opens the door to a new concept, figure or landmark – from ‘A’ for Azumah Nelson, Ghana’s most celebrated boxing legend, to ‘D’ for D.K. Poison, the nation’s first world champion and ‘O’ for Olympic medals – where readers discover Ghana’s proud moments on the global stage.

But beyond the roll-call of champions, B for Bukom simplifies the often complex world of boxing for children and casual readers. Technical skills such as ‘F’ for footwork or ‘U’ for uppercut are explained in plain language, with playful illustrations and even colouring exercises woven into the text.

By doing so, Sarah strips boxing of its intimidating aura and presents it as a sport anyone can understand, appreciate and enjoy.

The book also carries a heritage function. It documents the stories of legendary gyms, pioneer coaches and iconic fighters, while introducing young readers to the cultural heart of Jamestown; Bukom, the community that gave the book its name.

What makes the book truly novel is its accessibility. Unlike academic texts that are confined to university shelves, Sarah’s book is designed to sit on the laps of children, in the hands of parents and on the desks of teachers. It is part history lesson, part sports education and part cultural celebration. In simple, relatable terms, Sarah succeeds in doing what few in the boxing world have attempted: making the sport’s heritage approachable to all ages.

Bridging Scholarship, Ingenuity and Living Heritage

What sets Sarah Lotus Asare apart is her ability to blend the intellectual world of heritage studies with the popular energy of sports. Where many scholars stop at conferences and journals, she carries her research into books, exhibitions and projects that resonate widely. Her curatorial work, such as Astwere Sane: Aspects of Ghana’s Boxing Heritage, placed boxing alongside Ghana’s cultural treasures – showing that the sport is more than competition; it is a living archive of resilience, creativity and identity.

This balance of scholarship and action extends into advocacy. Through ‘Girls Box’, Sarah has given female boxers visibility while addressing issues like teenage pregnancy and breast cancer. Her book, B for Bukom, makes boxing accessible to children with simple explanations and even colouring activities while also preserving the legacies of great fighters, pioneer coaches and gyms that define Ghana’s boxing story. In doing so, she ensures knowledge is not confined to the classroom but shared with communities, schools and the global audience.

Her ingenuity lies in creating new entry points into boxing. By reframing it as heritage and social dialogue, she welcomes not only athletes but also educators, policymakers and those who have never entered a gym. This multi-dimensional approach has earned her recognition from international media and her role as Executive Secretary of WBC Cares Africa, linking global champions to grassroots causes.

At the heart of all this is Bukom, the Jamestown enclave that has produced champions like Azumah Nelson, D.K. Poison and Ike Quartey. Sarah positions Bukom not only as the birthplace of legends but also a cultural ecosystem where gyms, coaches and young dreamers sustain the sport. By capturing its stories in B for Bukom, she amplifies voices that might otherwise be lost; preserving them as part of Ghana’s broader heritage.

Through her scholarship, advocacy and storytelling, Sarah reframes boxing as more than a fight. It is education, empowerment and heritage – a cultural export that deserves recognition and investment, just as much as Ghana’s castles, festivals or music traditions.

Call for support

Sarah Lotus Asare’s work underscores a truth often overlooked: boxing is not just about producing champions, it is also about producing opportunities. Her projects – B for Bukom, ‘Girls Box’, heritage exhibitions and her service with WBC Cares Africa – all demonstrate how sport can be a tool for education, empowerment and national pride. But to scale these initiatives, Sarah needs more than applause; she needs tangible support.

Sponsors and brands should see in Sarah a partner who embodies empowerment, culture and impact. For corporations looking to align their social responsibility with meaningful causes, her projects provide ready platforms that connect with youth, women and communities.

For policymakers, Sarah’s work offers a blueprint for how sport can be integrated into cultural preservation and development strategies. And for media outlets, her voice provides a refreshing perspective – one that reframes boxing not as raw spectacle but a disciplined, heritage-rich craft.

There is also an urgent need for investment in the young talents that B for Bukom celebrates. The gyms that shelter them, the coaches that mentor them and the communities that nurture them all benefit when visionaries like Sarah receive backing. With stronger support, she can expand the reach of her book, scale her ‘Girls Box’ initiative and bring Ghana’s boxing culture to even more global stages.

In a nation with a proud boxing history, supporting Sarah means ensuring that history is not only remembered but also transformed into a future of empowerment and opportunity. Her ingenuity has laid the foundation. Now, stakeholders must step forward to help her build.

Conclusion

Sarah Lotus Asare is more than a boxing advocate; she is a cultural strategist redefining what the sport means for Ghana and the world. Through her scholarship, exhibitions, advocacy and  groundbreaking book B for Bukom, she has given boxing a new vocabulary – one rooted in heritage, empowerment and education rather than bruises and blood.

Her work reminds us that boxing is not just fists flying in the ring. It is history passed down through communities like Bukom, discipline instilled in young athletes and a platform that can transform lives. By distilling these lessons into a book that children can colour, parents can read and teachers can use, Sarah has made boxing approachable, relatable and enduring

Yet her story is only beginning. For Ghana’s boxing heritage to thrive, Sarah’s vision must be nurtured with support from brands, policymakers and communities. She is already bridging scholarship and popular culture, but with stronger backing she can take Ghana’s boxing narrative to a global stage – as a cultural export and a tool for social change.

In Sarah’s own framing, boxing is not violence; it is heritage, discipline and power for the powerless. The time has come to rally behind her mission and ensure that Ghana’s boxing story, told through her ingenuity, continues inspiring the present generation and those to come.

The post Comms and branding with Samuel OWUSU-ADUOMI: SARAH LOTUS ASARE: The woman turning boxing into heritage, education and empowerment appeared first on The Business & Financial Times.

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