Minister of Youth and Sports Elvis Afriyie-Ankrah has directed the country’s boxing governing body, the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA), to hit Michael Ayittey Powers with its disciplinary rod.

Hon Afriyie-Ankrah indicated that the said boxer had held the entire country to ransom after refusing to mount the ring for the expectedly uncompromising clash with Bukom Banku on May 16.

He pointed out that, as a professional boxer, he should have known better than to disrespect the terms in the contract and not toy with it as he had done.

“I have asked the GBA to take the necessary action against him. He is a professional, he shouldn’t hold the whole country to ransom. I mean he should be serious,” he said at the Media Centre of the Accra Stadium yesterday.

The bout, put together by Alex Ntiamoah’s Box Office Promotions, had received great attention and was expected to draw the biggest patronage in the country’s boxing history, taking into account the pedigree of the two boxers.

However, the boxer cited personal reasons for his unavailability.

Earlier, he gave spiritual reasons for his inability to honour the bout, originally scheduled for April 18. Reports from the GBA indicated that Powers made an additional financial demand of GH¢50,000.

“He met with us demanding GH¢50,000, thinking we would not be able to raise that amount, and when we said we will give him the money, he said he wanted to meet with his team and that we should hold on for some time,” a GBA executive said in an interview.

Meanwhile, it has emerged that the promoters are working around the clock to get an equally tough opponent for the undefeated cruiserweight champion, Bukom Banku.