Ghanaian light heavyweight boxer Braimah Kamoko affectionately called “Bukom Banku” is noted for his theatricals in the ring and his stand up jokes on radio and television but I submit he went overboard on Saturday. His appearance in the ring for his non title fight against Brazilian Emmanuel da Silva at the Ohene Djan Sports Stadium in Accra was appalling.  In a white gown wearing dark glasses and holding a white cane, Kamoko depicted a blind man in obvious derision of the medical advice given to him two years ago to stop boxing to save his eyes. He has ignored medical advice and resumed the fistic sport.

If Kamoko’s theatricals were meant to ridicule medical science, then it was really misconceived much as the physically challenged would not be the least enthused by his imitation of the blind.

I have repeated several times that we take a lot of things for granted in my part of the world. I can’t imagine this happening in  the UK for example when I can recall what happened to England national football coach Glenn Hoddle who was sacked for making what the nation saw as derogatory remarks about the physically challenged in society.

Kamoko might have won the fight all right via a seventh round TKO but I maintain that those theatricals that heralded his arrival in the ring were neither funny nor necessary at all. It is my considered opinion that the Ghana Boxing Authority should sanction him for bringing the name of the sport into disrepute.

The last time I checked, boxing was still described as the noble art of self defence.

Cheers everybody and keep loving sports.

FROM MY ARCHIVES

Feb 10th 1993: Riddick Bowe’s manager, after a flurry of negotiations, taunts, and name calling on both sides, has offered Lennox Lewis a winner-take-all heavyweight title fight worth about 30millon dollars in June.
Bowe gave up the title under threat of being stripped of the title for not fighting Lewis in the first defence of the crown he won by beating Evander Holyfield last November.