The Tribune

HAD he been alive, today would have marked the 74th birthday of The Bahamas’ former world boxing champion Everette ‘Elisha’ Obed Ferguson.
Elisha Obed, born January 21, 1952, made history for The Bahamas when he captured the World Boxing Council’s light middleweight title over Miguel de Oliveira in Paris, France.
But according to his long-time friend and former boxing colleague Wellington Miller, it has been over 50 years since Elisha Obed’s and yet, The Bahamas government has not recognised him for his accomplishment.
"In 1996, Mr. George Turner and myself formed a committee to honour Elisha Obed for his outstanding achievement,” Miller said. "Today, almost thirty (30) years later, the needle for his success has had very little movement.
"Over the years, the committee has sent many letters to the powers that be with very little reply. Will this year 2026 pass without Elisha Obed being recognised for his excellent accomplishment over 50 years ago or will history continue to escape the young generation?”
Elisha Obed would have gone on to defend his title twice before losing it to Germany’s Eckhard Dagge in 1976 in a fight that he quit, claiming that he had blurred vision. He said he was thumbed in the eye by Dagge. Later after the fight, it was discovered that Elisha Obed had a detached retina and was legally blind in that eye.
On Thursday, June 28, after a long illness, Elisha Obed passed away at the age of 66.