GhanaWeb Feature
After a successful boxing career that saw him dominate Ghana’s boxing scene for more than a decade, winning the world title would have been the cherry on top for Brimah Kamoko, popularly known as Bukom Banku. Unfortunately, the script did not go as planned.
Boasting an undefeated record of 23 fights with 18 knockouts, the Ghanaian champion, often nicknamed the 'African Mayweather,' held titles including the WAB Super Middleweight and ABU African Lightweight title.
Banku's path to a world title shot began with his WBO Africa Light Heavyweight title win over Namibia's Vikapita Meroro in 2011. His subsequent victories, including a decisive win over Ugandan Hamza Wandera in 2012, solidified his standing in the WBO world rankings, positioning him for a world title fight.
The opportunity for a world title bout emerged when Nathan Cleverly, then the WBO World Light Heavyweight titleholder, agreed to face Banku in his title defense.
The fight, sanctioned by the WBO and agreed upon by both camps and their respective promoters, GoldenMike Promotions and GoldenConcepts Management, was set to be Banku's first international fight outside Ghana.
However, just as anticipation for the bout reached its peak, Cleverly's camp unexpectedly reversed course.
Citing purported health concerns regarding Banku, Cleverly opted to face Serbia-born German Robin Krasniqi instead in April 2012 at Wembley Stadium, where he defended his title with a unanimous decision.
The decision sparked frustration and controversy, with Banku vehemently denying any health issues and accusing officials of the Ghana Boxing Authority of conspiring against his title aspirations.
“They are lying that I have eye problems; check if I have any eye problems,” Kamoko is remembered to have uttered in one of his interviews.
Amid allegations that his medical records had been leaked to discredit him, Banku's bid for the world title faced a setback as Cleverly's team used the alleged health issue as justification to withdraw from the bout.
The British boxer later fought Serbia-born German, Robin Krasniqi in his defense for the title on April 28, 2012, instead of Banku.
Cleverly won that fight by a unanimous decision, but a year later, Russian boxer Sergey Kovalev snatched the title from him when he knocked him out in round 4 of their fight in the UK.
Despite the setback, Banku continued to pursue his boxing career, maintaining his undefeated streak until 2017 when he suffered his first defeat to Bastie Samir.
The loss, however, opened doors for Banku's international debut, leading him to his first international bout.
In 2019, Kamoko recorded his first-ever victory outside Ghana after he knocked out Ferenc Albert in Bradford, United Kingdom on Saturday, September 8, 2019.
Despite winning a WBU title in the UK, Banku's pursuit of a recognized world title belt remained unfulfilled.
After years of dedication to boxing, Banku announced his retirement from boxing in November 2023.
JNA/OGB