John “Expensive Boxer” Laryea returned to a celebratory welcome in Accra on Tuesday, November 5, following his successful international debut in the United States. The 22-year-old Ghanaian boxer, along with his coach Lawrence Carl Lokko, outclassed Nicaragua’s Alexander Mejia in their lightweight match at Royale Caribe in Orlando, Florida, last Friday.

Laryea dominated the bout from the start, knocking down Mejia in the first round and maintaining control throughout, resulting in a sweeping 80-69 unanimous decision on all three judges’ scorecards.

This victory further strengthens Laryea’s ambition of achieving a world title. The WBO Africa featherweight champion, who aims to rise in the global rankings, is confident about his prospects. “First, I thank God for making this victory possible, as well as my coach, management, and fans for their unwavering support and prayers,” Laryea shared with the Daily Graphic on his arrival in Ghana.

Reflecting on his pledge to his supporters, Laryea added, “I promised Ghanaians I’d give my best, and now we’ve secured this win in America. Our focus is now set on the world title, and with my team’s full support, I’m confident that we’ll achieve it by 2025-26.”