Boxing : New Date For Banku-Powers Fight

The much anticipated cruiserweight bout between Braimah Kamoko, alias Bukom Banku, and Ayitey Powers has been brought forward a week earlier to April 18 at the same venue, the Accra Sports Stadium.

The fight was originally fixed for April 25, but the promoter said yesterday circumstances had compelled him to bring forward the fight which had taken almost a year to put together.

What is, however, uncertain now is the mouth-watering purse of GH¢60,000 or above that the fight promoter has promised to be shared between the two boxers, as such an amount has been tied to the availability of sponsorship for the big clash.

Fight Promoter and match-maker, Alex Ntiamoah Boakye, told the Graphic Sports yesterday his outfit was in talks with three potential corporate sponsors and was weighing the offers before making any formal announcement.

He indicated also that Box Office Promotions would later reveal other interesting bouts as undercards for the non-title fight after agreement with he boxers and their managers had been reached.

After months of shadow boxing and verbal confrontation in the media, the two boxers took a giant step last Thursday towards the encounter after signing the fight contract with Box Office Promotions at the Accra Sports Stadium in the presence of officials of the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) and the media. The Bukom-based fighters, who arrived separately in the company of their vociferous supporters in a charged atmosphere, talked tough and vowed to end the fight via the short route.

Powers, who arrived first in an all-white outfit and sported blonde hair on a clean-shaven head, promised to teach Kamoko a boxing lesson by knocking him out in the sixth round.

Typically a tough-talking boxer who often lightens up such occasions with comic relief, Kamoko arrived wearing an all-black outfit and was very composed during the ceremony until he was asked to respond to taunts by Powers.

A knockout specialist, who has stopped 20 of his opponents in 26 wins, Kamoko predictably said he would silence his opponent [Powers who comes into the fight with a ring record of 18 wins (14kOs) and 23 losses] with a sixth round knockout.

Later, boxing promoter Abraham Kotey Neequaye, had hoped to sign on Kamoko, who had recently announced a split from his manager/promoter Henry Manly-Spain. But Bukom Banku reportedly delayed signing any deal until his lawyer had satisfied himself with the terms of the draft mangerial and promotional contract.