Former lnternational Boxing Organisation (IBO) lightweight champion, Emmanuel "Gameboy" Tagoe, says he is focused on earning a knockout victory over Namibia's Moses Paulus when they slug it out for the WBO Africa lightweight title at the Bukom Boxing Arena on October 20, 2018.

Tagoe (28-1, 14 KOs), however, said he would accept any decision against the former two-time WBA world lightweight title holder should the fight travel full length.

In an interview with the Daily Graphic yesterday, the 29-year-old Ghanaian pugilist, who is expected to headline the maiden edition of the ‘Asamoah Gyan Fight Night,’ said he was preparing to come back stronger, having been stripped of his IBO strap.

"I am ready to surprise the entire boxing fraternity with a knockout victory against an experienced boxer such as Moses Paulus but will welcome any decision win as well.

"Losing my IBO belt has strengthened me to come back stronger and I am confident of finishing off Paulus in order to enter into the WBO rankings," he said.

Tagoe was stripped of his IBO strap following his inability to accept a mandatory title defence against Fedor Papazov in June. He is expected to return to the ring for the first time in eight months against the 40-year-old Paulus (40-4, 25 KOs).

Ahead of the bout, the managers of Tagoe, Baby Jet Promotions, have announced that former world title-winning trainer, Adama Addy, will take charge of the boxer against Paulus.

When asked whether he decided to change his trainers because he felt he needed a more experienced hand, Tagoe denied any such assertion, noting that the move was just to improve him.

He paid tribute to all his past trainers but explained that the experience of Coach Addy would only propel him to greatness, which would begin against Paulus.

"I wouldn't say I changed my trainers because they were ineffective but it was just to improve myself with the experience of Adama Addy who won a world title with Joseph Agbeko," Tagoe said.