Former President of the Ghana Boxing Association, Moses Foh-Amoaning has said despite Braimah Kamoko’s loss in a bout with Bastie Samir, his contribution to the development of Ghana boxing cannot be underestimated.
He said Braimah, popularly known as Bukom Banku has done well for the sport and not even Saturday’s defeat will hide that.
Speaking on Joy FM, Monday, Mr Foh-Amoaning said “I think Banku is doing great for the sport. He has difficulties in how he was managed and how he himself has behaved outside the ring, but let’s be fair and admit that he has been the greatest boxing sell over the last twenty years or more.
“Banku goes beyond the ring, he sings, he acts, he is a great character, he’s got his own coach, he is the Mohammed Ali of our time in terms of his flamboyance and capacity to attract an audience, you might hate him or loathe him, but that is how you sell the sport,” he added.
Bukom Banku’s defeat to Samir Bastie in a 12-round titleless fight on Saturday is still the talk of the town.
Bastie knocked out Banku in the seventh round ending the self-acclaimed African Mayweather’s undefeated boxer title.
The loss came as a shock to many who did not see Banku’s defeat coming. Banku sustained an eye injury and had to be treated by his doctor before the fight continued
While some found the defeat unbelievable, others thought Banku deserved it because he had grown arrogant and proud.
Many also attributed the loss to his party affiliation, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) which also lost the 2016 general elections.
Mr Foh-Amoaning agrees that perhaps Banku's defeat might have gone beyond the pale in his political affiliation, especially the way it was done and his abuse of women in his community.
“Some of the wife battering that went on and his impunity. People complained about the fact that he did all sorts of things and the police couldn’t check him and all that,” he believes drew many people from him.
Despite all these issues, many of which Foh-Amoaning believes occurred as a result of the lack of proper management, he has no doubt that Banku still is an exceptional boxer.
“I dealt with him and I think he is a great character and a great boxer and has done a lot for Ghana boxing…but at certain points the negatives were too much and who wants to be associated with negative publicity,” he queried.
“But I think you got to give him that credit that he sold Ghana boxing very well,” Mr Foh-Amoaning said.
He added, however, that Bastie is a great example and he should be groomed to become an even better boxer.
Source: myjoyonline.com
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