We have long regarded him as the greatest boxer to have come out of Ghana and Africa but last Sunday's enshrinement the Ghanaian legend puts the seal on a career and image that has taken so many years of incredible hard work and commitment to build.

The boxing legend, a three-time world champion in the featherweight and super featherweight divisions has kept an incredibly low profile since quitting the sport in 1998.

When he has made public appearances, it has been for charity causes, to as he says encourage people or just put in an appearance as a guest of honour in a manner that heroes like him do.

The media has not been his playground so when the Boss Player managed to pull off another master stroke, it was bound to be another best seller if there is any such term in radio.

That morning, I was in the office earlier than usual.

Seated in what we call the studio annex at Joy FM was Azumah Nelson, the legend with his good mate and senior colleague journalist Sam Okaitey.

Once I got a handshake, I was off smiling, the tonic for a perfect Thursday. It wasn't me alone who was feeling all excited about the man who gave us some of our proudest sporting moments in our history as Ghanaians.

After almost an hour of compelling talk alongside Moses Foh-Amoaning, the phone in segment, the one segment no public official enjoys came up.

For Azumah it was the segment he will re-live for many years to come. Caller after caller re-lived those moments since 1984 when Azumah fought and beat Wilfredo Gomes. They spoke with nostalgia about how they enjoyed staying awake till 2:00 pm around bomb fires to cheer the legend on.

Also striking was the diversity of those who cued up on the phones. The most compelling contributions came from ladies who certainly are not your best bet for hard core boxing fans.

One lady recounted how as a little girl she will stay awake to see Azumah in action. "Now I am old and married, I will name my child after you", she said.

That even the ladies were cuing up is another magnificent tribute to the legend of Azumah. It is amazing how he is loved but as Moses Foh Amoa Aning and Edward Fatchie both of who followed Azumah keenly through those glorious years say Azumah created his affection with incredible humility.

Whilst other boxers are quick to spot their in your face hair styles, brag around everywhere in town in their fancy cars, Azumah has been speaking wise, rarely maligned authority and comes across as a man you can't help but like.

Now after all these years delighting not only us but the rest of the world, Azumah got the recognition he deserves from the rest of the world. He was inducted into boxing's hall of fame after being selected in January 2004.

The official induction and enshrinement took place in Canostota, New York in front of over 2000 boxing fans.

By that Azumah has joined some of the greatest names in boxing like Mohammed Ali in the Hall.

Azumah told the crowd that his enshrinement was the greatest moment in the saga of African boxing and no one can deny that.

The honour has impressed Azumah. He says: "I am very glad that my years of hard work will be recognised in the boxing world."

The enshrinement was the official recognition of about fifteen years of boxing at the very highest level by Azumah. It was fifteen years too that witnessed some of the finest boxing bouts in history.

Azumah versus Gomes in 1984 on December 8 was the beginning of greatness. After a botched attempt against Salvador Sanchez, Azumah battered Gomez, a Mexican great to write his name into Ghanaian hearts.

For the significance of that victory, you need to go back to those years when every boxing bout became an Azumah versus Gomes affair.

For Azumah, the Gomes victory was no surprise. He insists that since he was a kid, he has had a strong feeling that he will become a world champion because God told him so.

"When I was young, God told me I would be a world champion. So even when I was going through hardships I knew I would become who I am now. It's like when you have a 100,000 cedis. If you wake up to find it, you won't be surprised. When God has blessed you, no one can stop you."

During his professional career, it was easy to conclude too that Azumah's will was final. That what he wanted will ultimately happen. There were off course bad times against the maverick Marcos Villasana, Pernell Whitaker, Juan La Porte and Jesse James Leija but mostly, Azumah mostly reigned supreme.

Against the hard hitting and arrogant Australian, Jeff Fenech Azumah sealed his place in boxing folklore.

Fenech had given a Azumah a difficult time in a bout some think the Professor was lucky to draw.

Fenech was unbeaten; almost invincible in his home country so when the return leg was fixed for Melbourne, it seemed crazy Azumah had agreed to fight there. But he insisted he will beat the Australian "even in his bedroom" for one of the most famous quotes boxing quotes.

He did beat Fenech, battering him before the Australian gave in round 8. Afterwards, Azumah was to deliver one of his famous quotes again. "This was like a father and son affair. I am the boxing professor," he said.

That night was further evidence of Azumah's extra-ordinary boxing gifts. It also inevitably and justifiably filled Ghanaians with immense pride.

Azumah says he drove his strength from knowing that Ghanaians enjoyed his wins.

He speaks in a manner that will score him full marks especially with his rhetoric about Ghana.

Take what he says about hearing the national anthem before bouts for instance.

He said: "When I hear the national anthem, I feel like I am holding the nation in my hands. I feel the nation have given me their trust that they have entrusted an egg into my care, which I must carefully protect. Once the anthem I started, I say to myself of my opponent, mama, you are dead!

The sport that Azumah helped raise to such dizzy heights is however crumbling. Much of the sentiment that came with Azumah's interview had a lot to do with the fact that it has been almost impossible to find another Azumah, loved by almost everyone, proud to be Ghanaian and eager to let the whole world know.

It's a bit like how the boxing world still holds Mohammed Ali dear for his supreme human qualities and also because boxing has been unable to create another Ali.

Ghana boxing has struggled in the post Nelson era especially after Ike Quartey's high profile and hugely successful hold 5-year on the welterweight division loosened in 1999.

Many boxers have been bandied around as the next greats but these days when they fight in foreign lands, no one even remembers. As one caller put it "we need another Azumah."

Azumah himself is worried about the lack of progress on the Ghanaian boxing scene but he says the problem is down to the fact that there aren't just good trainers around.

"When you have good boxers, you need good trainers to make them champions. I became a world champion through the effort of Attuquaye Klottey, he trained Azumah Nelson too but now you just won't find good trainers."

So poor is the state of the sport that for the first time in several years, Ghana will have no representation in the boxing tournament of the Olympics Games. Mostly Ghanaian boxers have returned home empty handed after trips abroad.

The Ghana boxing Authority is in no doubt that Azumah can play a part in reversing the rot. Big brother Foh has played a great in that and if Azunah agrees, the ex-boxing commentator turned administrator would have pulled of a masterstroke.

It will be a major boost to the sport. How low Ghana boxing has sunk when you consider that it has produced greats like D.K Poison, Nana Yaw Konadu, Ike Quartey and above all the greatest of them Azumah Nelson should sadden everyone with the interest of the sport at heart.

In the absence of that however, Azumah's induction into boxing's greatest and most prestigious Hall represents great news and a reminder that Ghana used to be a boxing haven and could be again.

Celebrate the legend and hope in these times that we hail his great contribution, we will find the strength to build up another one.