The two boxers at the centre of the heavily-touted “Judgement Day” bout, Ayittey Powers and Braimah Kamoko aka Bukom Banku are demanding an increase in the fight purse from the promoters, Box Office Promotions, else the bout would not take place.
Powers and Kamoko believe they have enough leverage to rake in huge profits and thus, they deserve more from the bout which has captured the attentions of boxing fans across the country.
Speaking in an interview, Kamoko and Powers expressed their readiness to get into the ring on the new date of the 15th of May but they would only honour the fight contract if they would receive more than the originally-agreed purse of GHC 20,000 each.
” We are both willing to get this fight on but we are telling the promoters to up the purse. Powers and I have spoken about this and this is what we want. I will discuss this with my manager to see how things go”, said Kamoko.
Powers was in unison with his opponent and further explained that the promoter had promised a larger purse if sponsorships were acquired for the bout.
“The fight will definitely be at the Accra Sports Stadium on the 15th of May but we deserve more. The promoter told me that if he got more sponsors, we would get more. I even demanded GHC 60,000 from him but Kamoko convinced me to stick to the GHC 50,000. I cannot fight where there is no respect for an agreement. If he cannot pay us what we want, he should give the fight to somebody who can promote it.”
The demand from the boxers is the latest of twists that have rocked the bout since the initial date of 18th of April was announced.
A postponement to 26th of April occurred after Powers said he had been told by his spiritual father, Prophet T.B Joshua, not to fight on the 18th.
Powers then failed to sign the supplementary contracts for the 26th of April date leading to another postponement and the wait was extended by the directive of the Osu Traditional Council to freeze the fight as it would disrupt the ban of drumming and noise-making in the Osu Area.
A new date of the 15th of May was agreed on by the Council and the fight promoters but the demands of the two boxers could prove to be another hitch.
By: Nathan Quao/citifmonline.com/Ghana