Sports
Banku suspended,licence revoked …as name omitted from latest GBA rankings
The Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) has released ratings for its boxers in the various weight categories for the period spanning April 1 to June, 2020, leaving out controversial pugilist, Braimah Kamoko – better known as Bukom Banku.
The list has the champion and its contenders for all various categories – right from light flyweight to heavyweight.
When contacted yesterday on why Banku’s name was omitted, GBA scribe Patrick Johnson disclosed to the Times Sports that the Ratings Committee had suspended and revoked the licence of the boxer.
“The reason for his suspension is that he owns Box Office Promotions and until he pays that money, he remains suspended and will not be able to fight in Ghana or go international.”
He said Banku pleaded to be allowed to go and fight in Britain in September last year and upon his return will settle his debt; “but up till today, he has not fulfilled his promise, hence GBA’s rod falling heavily on him.”
Banku knocked out his Hungarian opponent, Ferenc Albert, to win his first international fight outside Africa at the at the St George Hall in Bradford, United Kingdom, last September in a cruiserweight contest.
The cruiserweight division, where he fights has been declared a vacant one by the GBA – listing Ayittey Powers, Paa Kwesi Ankrah, Enoch Quaye, and Mohammed Ali as contenders without Bukom Banku in there. The WBO Africa champion is Abraham Tabul.
Heavyweight category also has the title declared vacant with contenders Ebenezer Tetteh, Richard Harrison, John Napari, Enoch Quaye, Ishmael Djan, Ofei Dodoo, Kamil Mohammed and Osumanu Haruna, while the light heavyweight category also has a vacant title with contenders George Banson, Atoli Moore, Emmanuel Danso, Jacob Dickson and Ahmed Abdula. Bastir Samir is the PBC light/heavyweight champion.
The super middleweight division has Delali Miledze as the champion with Emmanuel Adjei Anim, Charles Adamu, Stephen Abbey, Ishmael Tetteh, Prince Oko Nartey, Iddrisah Kalu Amadu, Issah Inusah, Michael Osunla Osuman and Eliasu Sulley.
Miledzi, who is also the WABU super middleweight champion has a mandatory title defence fixed for June 26. Emmanuel Martey is the WBO Africa champion.
The middleweight division has no champion with Issah Samir, Habib Ahmed, Daniel Adoku, Emmanuel Quaye, John Akulugu, Mawuli Foli, Mubarak Abubakar, Abubakari Samed, Theophilus Ofei Dodoo, Daniel Adjei Sowah, Aryee Ayittey, Isaac Sowah, Baba Musah, Michael Darko and Ago Ashong as contenders. Osumanu Adama is the IBO Intercontinental/ former WBC American champion. Obodai Sai is WBO African champion and John Koudeha – IBF Africa champion.
Super welterweight division has no champion with Dan Lartey, Eric Kwardey, Theophilus Tetteh Musah Lawson, Frank Dodze, Aziz Sampson, Mandela Atuulik and Jebril Mohammed as contenders. Patrick Allotey holds the WBO Africa title with Joshua Clottey the former IBF World super welter champion, while welterweight division also having no champion with Joseph Lamptey, Raphael King, Abdul Aziz Quartey, Albert Mensah, Justice Addy, Abraham Afful, Senator Agbenya, Richard Dogbega, Dozdie Kemeh, Korley Collison, Kofi Manu, Ben Ankrah, Isaac Tetteh and Ebenezer Money Sowah as contenders. Fredrick Lawson is the IBF Continental Africa champ/WBC Silver International belt holder and Richmond Djarbeng, former WBA Pan champion.
At the super lightweight division, Tackie Annan, Bilali Mohammed, Anama Dotse, Charles Lesko Sossiya, Sampson Segbetsi, Stephen Quaye, Benjamin Kuwornu, Amos Denji, Patrick Kodjoe, Richard Amefu, Daniel Oduro, Emmanuel Ardey Aryee and Raphael Deh have been declared as contenders for the vacant title. Robert Quaye is the Interim WBO Africa Champion.
The lightweight division has Michael Ansah as the champion with Sheriff Quaye, Kpakpo Allotey, Faisal Abubakari, Victor Kuwormu, Benjamin Lamptey, Ishmael Aryeetey, Samuel Akrogo, Michael Pappoe, Sheriff Seidu, Richman Ashley, Odartey Lamptey, Enoch Lamptey, John Quaye, Eric Ameshiokor, Ayittey Mettle, Moses Dodze and Azumah Mohammed as contenders. Richard Commey – former IBF World Champion, Emmanuel Tagoe – WBO Global/ IBF International lightweight champion and George Ashie – Interim WBO Africa champion.
Ansah has his mandatory title defence fixed for June 26.
Felix Adjorm is the super featherweight champion whose mandatory title defence is fixed for August 6 and has Patrick Okine, Razak Nettey, Michael Ofei Doodo, Bright Ayala, Abraham Osei Bonsu, Emmanuel Quartey, Nathaniel Nukpe, Isaac Dorwuona, Charles Amartefio, Abdul Malik Jabir and Gabriel Coffie as his contenders
Felix Ajorm – PBC/Commonwealth/national champion and Maxwell Awuku- WBO-rated.
The featherweight has a vacant title with Patrick Ayi, Eric Quarm, Alfred Lamptey, Emmanuel Otoo, Holy Dorgbetor, George Krampah, Solomon Martey, Isaac Nettey, Success Tetteh, Ezekiel Annan, David Kotey, Emmanuel Sackey, Edward Kambasi and Yussif Issifu Seidu as contender. Felix Williams is the WBE/WBL Championship with Raphael Mensah, Former WBA African champion.
Theophilus Tetteh, Isaac Sackey, Michael Tagoe, Emmanuel Otoo, John Laryea, Felix Okine, Thompson Arap Moi, Sheriff Mohammed and Elvis Mensah have been named as contenders for the vacant super bantamweight title. Isaac Dogboe is former WBO World champion, while Wasiru Mohammed is the WBO Global champion.
The vacant bantamweight division has Prince Dzanie, Raymond Commey, Kamarudin Boyefio, Isaac Quaye, Gabriel Odoi Laryea, Umar Abdul Malik Issah, Oliagede Tunde, Michael Nelson and Mohammed Fuseini as contenders. Duke Micah is former Commonwealth champion and Joseph Agbeko, WBO Africa champion.
Super flyweight champion Manyo Plange will make his mandatory defence on June 30 in the division which has Albert Commey as a contender.
Manyo Plange is the PBC Commonwealth/ national champion.
Both light flyweight and flyweight have vacant titles and contenders.
BY RAYMOND ACKUMEY
Sports
GoldStars GPL feat no fluke
No prophet in Ghana would have been taken serious with prophesies of Bibiani GoldStars becoming the new champions of the 2024/25 Ghana Premier League (GPL).
That is not to take anything away from Coach Frimpong Manso, an Asante Kotoko legend, and his boys for the yeoman’s job they did in the just ended season.
They deserve every bit of the plaudits coming from well-wishers.
They came, they saw and conquered on their fourth year (2021/2022 season) in the elite stage of Ghana football.
Of course, this can only be a reality in the end but not a sound prediction at the start of the season.
But, so has it been. Stories like that of GoldStars sharply brings to mind a similar fairytale orchestrated in the advanced English Premier League (GPL) with the 2015/16 edition.
In the face of the Manchester City, Manchester United, Chelsea, Arsenal and Liverpool dominance, Leicester emerged with a bang, conquering every hurdle in sight with unsung heroes like Jamie Vardy, Wilfred Ndidi, Shinji Okazaki, Leonardo Ulloa, Danny Drinkwater, Robert Huth, Riyad Mahrez and others.
There was no indication of that sort at the start of the season.
As usual, the focus was on the aforementioned heavyweights but Leicester took the competition by storm to record a historic win.
Back home, the GoldStars story is not different. Despite the recent struggles by perennial favourites, Accra Hearts of Oak and Asante Kotoko, the two have always found their ways in fans prediction regarding the side to emerge winners.
Interestingly, both sides just managed to end up in the top four after Nations FC’s decision to abandon a game against Basake Holy Stars who cost them dearly, in the end, forfeiting the said game and going ahead to suffer a further three points deduction penalty.
Nations FC were actually the top favourites for the title until that ill-fated match against Basake Holy Stars.
Campaigning for the second year in the competition, very few followers of the game gave the Timber giants any chance.
But in the same ‘Rambo’ style, teams like Medeama SC and Aduana Stars descended on the GPL, GoldStars emerged with all guns blazing, strategically employing a tactic of making the Dun’s Park in Bibiani, a waterloo for visiting teams.
On a few occasions, they sprung surprises on the journey, recording a few upsets against gullible teams including Hearts of Oak in Accra.
They had a promising coach like Frimpong Manso who is yet to establish himself among the elites local coaches maybe because he is yet to work with any of the established club sides in the country.
But winning the local competition with a less endowed club makes you a legend, and truly, he has become one.
To management and other members of the technical team, one could only congratulate them for a job well executed.
The players have a huge role to play in proving that the feat was no fluke and that GoldStars has come to stay; and would continue to make an impact in the local game.
Much is not known about these players except Vincent Atinga who plied his trade with Hearts of Oak and Medeama SC. Others like Samuel Attah Kumi, Frank Amankwah, Kelvin Oppong, Charles Gyamfi Kamara, Abdul Farouk Amoaful, Gideon Anaba, Samuel Acheampong, Foster Agyei and Yakubu Haqq remain emerging talents aiming to carve a niche for themselves.
Definitely with the new challenge, some areas of the team would be strengthened as they face the finest sides on the continent.
Another season with a new champion should also serve as a wake-up call for the likes of Hearts or Oak and Asante Kotoko to quickly return to their glory days lest they lose their enviable place among the football elite clubs. Well-done GoldStars.
By Andrew Nortey
Sports
Golden Kick, a tricky obstacle for Kotoko in MTN FA Cup final tomorrow
The University of Ghana Stadium will come alive tomorrow when Ghanaian giants, Kumasi Asante Kotoko, take on lower tier side, Golden Kicks FC, in a thrilling climax to the 2024/25 MTN FA Cup final tomorrow at exactly 5pm.
The much anticipated game, which is more than just a battle for silverware but a meeting of tradition and ambition for both teams, is expected to draw thousands of football fanatics across the country to the Legon stadium for what promises to be a dramatic and tricky finale to this season’s domestic cup competition.
After an unsuccessful season in the Ghana Premier League which saw the Reds miss out on the title to Bibiani GoldStars, the Porcupine Warriors will be desperate to finish the season on a high by clinching the title to secure a place in the next CAF interclub competition.
The Reds have a rich history in the FA Cup competition having won it nine times and will be eyeing their 10th title to stamp their authority as the overall best.
Before reaching this stage, Asante Kotoko eliminated formidable opponents like True Democracy, Sekondi Eleven Wise and Berekum Chelsea in the semi-final.
The availability of players like Justice Blay, Kwame Opoku, Frederick Asare, Peter Amidu Acquah and striker Albert Amoah, among other notable players will be a big boost to Coach Karim Zito’s side.
Meanwhile, the task will not be an easy one for Kotoko looking at the way their opponents reached the final with wins over Accra Hearts of Oak and Bechem United before climaxing it with Attram d’ Visser.
Coached by young and tactical Fiifi Parker Hanson, Golden Kicks have a combined youthful team with tactical discipline to punch well above their weight and relish the opportunity to shock the giants once more on a bigger stage.
This final is more than just a contest between Premier League royalty and a hungry underdog but rather a tale of two contrasting football identities. Kotoko brings the weight of tradition, experience, legacy and pressure while Golden Kicks arrive with nothing to lose and everything to prove which makes the game a promised one, full of thrills and fireworks.
By Enoch Ntiamoah
