The much expected tough bout between Ghana’s Braimah “Bukom Banku” Kamoko and Namibian opponent Vikapito Meroro sent fans home rather disappointed. Each of the 12 rounds was characterised by an unexciting and unattractive boxing. Meroro was believed to be a credible opponent for the tough talking Ghanaian boxer following his track records of being a former World Boxing Organisation Inter-Continental Light Heavyweight champion. Meroro, who was supposed to have a mandatory defence of his title failed to do so and was stripped of the title giving fans enough conviction to anticipate a grueling bout. It rather turned out to be the opposite and for many, the final unanimous decision of 118-109, 116-110 and 115-113, for Kamoko was not a fair decision since the Namibian did not throw a punch to merit a score. The records of the Namibian turned out to be nothing to write home about as he resorted to clinching throughout the entire 12 rounds possibly to avoid a damaging punch from the Ghanaian. Throughout the 12 rounds, Meroro took advantage of the slightest opportunity to clinch, pushing, with attempted head butts and illegal punches and got his points deducted in the very first round by referee Roger Barnor. So consistent were his clinches that, “Bukom Banku” found it difficult to deliver accurate punches on the face, and efforts to land punches on the ribs and the tummy were equally frustrated by the Namibian. One would have thought the clinches by the Namibian were a calculated attempt to knock out the Ghanaian but it rather ended up as a self-defence strategy to avoid humiliation. Kamoko at a point had to yell at the Namibian and signal him to fight instead of clinching and resorting to illegal moves in the ring. Boxing fans who had filled the Accra International Conference Centre to watch the thriller were at the end of the 12 rounds disappointed, jeered at the Namibian off the ring as the three judges scored a unanimous decision for the Ghanaian. In another international bout, Emmanuel Tagoe also scored unanimous points of 118-110, 120-109, and 120-110 over Chilean opponent, Oscar Bravo in the International Boxing Federation (IBF) Inter-Continental Super Featherweight title fight. Joshua Okine’s opponent Sidhulele Sidzumo from South Africa was disqualified in the 7th round for hitting below the belt four times. Okine, known as “Bukom Tsatsu” could not continue the fight after the fourth illegal punch and was handed the IBF International Continental Welterweight title. Source: GNA