Ghana’s undefeated cruiser weight champion, Braimah Kamoko (Bukom Banku), lived up to the billing with a predicated sixth round technical knockout over his long-time pal, Michael Ayittey Powers, in their ‘repeat or revenge’ bout at the Baba Yara Stadium early Sunday morning to bring closure to who is the best in the division in the country.
Powers failed to answer the bell for the sixth round after a rather impressive challenge in the early rounds with some overhead punches but his strength worn as the fight progressed.
Despite the disappointing end of the fight, Powers performance was far better than what he exhibited on May 26, 2014 at the Accra Sports Stadium in their first clash.
Banku improved to 27-0-0 while Powers dropped to 25 loses, a draw and 21 wins, 17 of which came by way of knockout.
”I am 37 years and want to end my career in six years after a bout in Tamele. My next move is to fight Nathan Cleverly (a Briton) for the world title,’ Banku said after the exciting fight.
‘I could have ended the fight early but I do not want to kill my brother,’ the former light heavy weight champion bragged after the fight.
Banku, in a rather confident mood sized his opponent after a first round balanced game and accelerated early in the second with calculated attack while Powers, who appeared stamina suspect preferred to hung on to the ropes to indulge in in-fighting.
That benefitted him briefly but he was soon to consign his energies to clinching and occasional overhead punches.
Banku responded with incessant pummelling and uppercuts and forced Powers to drop his guard a couple of times.
Banku was in his best elements in the fifth round which he had predicted to end the fight and rightly dazed Powers who failed to answer the call for the sixth round.
Banku was presented with a brand new SUV Range Rover, a ticket for a holiday trip to South Africa and a cash prize of Ghc100,000 donated by Joy Industries, producers of Joy Dadi Bitters.
The LandMark Production also featured a bunch of embarrassing undercards with the exception of Malik Jabir versus Fatiou Fassinou of Benin in an international Lightweight Contest, Nigerian Isaac Ekpo versus David Okine’s bout in the International Super Middleweight contest and Maxwell Awuku versus Kpodonu Nazel of Benin in an International Super lightweight contest.
Fatiou won a unanimous point decision over ring-rusted Jabir, Ekpo registered a second round technical knockout over Okine while Awuku won a fifth round technical knockout over Nazel.
In the other undercards, Patrick Allotey had a third round TKO over Fuseini Ahmed,
Raphael Mensah won a unanimous point decision over Justin Savi, Habib Mohammed won a second round TKO over Kwesi Tutu, Obodai Sai run over Gabreil Adoku and Shereff Quaye had a fifth round TKO over Raymond Ansah.
