…adds WBO Africa belt to title collection

World championship aspirant Braimah "Bukom Banku" Kamoko has added the interim WBO Africa Light-heavyweight championship belt to his title collections after decisively beating Uruguay challenger Jorge Oliveira Rodriguez in the topliner of the GoldenMike Boxing Promotions event dubbed ‘Night of no return’ in Accra last Saturday night.

An ardent football fan himself, Kamoko popularly called Bukom Banku made his entry into the ring clad in a Black Stars jersey with a soccer ball, announcing his determination to take his own and the nation’s revenge for the bizarre loss to Rodriguez’s Uruguay in last year’s FIFA World Cup. Luis Suarez is a cursed name on Ghanaian lips for handling Dominic Adiyiah’s goal-bound header on the stroke of full time of extra time of the quarter final clash in South Africa. Striker Asamoah Gyan of course missed the resultant spot kick, the last kick of the game to deny Ghana victory and a first ever progress by an African side to the semi finals of football’s World Cup.

“A lion is a lion so what the Uruguayans did was an abomination in sport and I was very devastated that day. So if by God’s grace I’m fighting an opponent from that country, then I have to punish and beat him mercilessly. Its revenge time for the Black Stars,” Kamoko had told the press at the pre-fight weigh-in on Friday.

And on Saturday night at the plush Accra International Conference Centre in front of a distinguished audience that included Ghana’s Vice President John Mahama, Bukom Banku more than delivered on his promise as he pummeled the hapless Olivera right from the first bell until the Uruguayan could not take it any longer but throw in the towel inside round 4 of the scheduled 12-rounder. Afterwards, Banku who also holds the less prestigious World Professional Boxing Federation (WPBF) crown and has vowed to claim a version of the world Light-heavyweight title, once again declared his readiness to take on the big boys of the division in world boxing. “I say I am ready to be a world champ so I am sending a message to the rest of the boxing world to make it happen. I want any of the IBF, WBC or WBO champions, I am more than ready to dethrone them and unify the titles,” stated the enigmatic boxer who now improves to 21-0, 16 KOs. In other fights on the night, Joshua Okine AKA Bukom Tsatsu won the Interim WBO Africa Welterweight title courtesy a 4th round stoppage of Brazilian opponent Adonisio Francisco Reges of Brazil but not same for fellow countryman Sam Amoako who lost a challenge for the WBO Africa Lightweight championship to title holder Namibian Martin Haikali by a unanimous decision after 12 rounds.

Another Ghanaian on the losing side to a foreigner was the battered Ayitey Powers whose record worsened to 14-16-1 following a 9th round TKO loss to Nigerian Michael Gbenga.

National featherweight champ Ishmael Aryeetey aka Black Eagle retained his title with victory over Cape Coast based Nanabenyin Brenya Bee whilst Raymond Commey claimed the National Super Bantamweight belt by beating Herbert Quartey.

Bukom Banku stands unbeaten at 21-0, with 16 Kos.