{"id":364297,"date":"2017-10-23T09:45:06","date_gmt":"2017-10-23T09:45:06","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/citifmonline.com\/?p=364297"},"modified":"2017-10-23T09:45:06","modified_gmt":"2017-10-23T09:45:06","slug":"quaos-monday-moanings-banku-floored-poor-defending-and-ghpl-goodbyes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/citifmonline.com\/2017\/10\/quaos-monday-moanings-banku-floored-poor-defending-and-ghpl-goodbyes\/","title":{"rendered":"QUAO\u2019s Monday Moanings: Banku floored, poor defending and GHPL goodbyes"},"content":{"rendered":"
Citi Sports editor Nathan Quao returns with his column and this week, he talks about the epic boxing showdown between Bukom Banku and Bastie Samir, the horror shows put out by Manchester United and Liverpool in the Premier League and the end of the road for Great Olympics and Tema Youth in the Ghana Premier League.<\/em><\/p>\n Banku was finally \u2018eaten\u2019<\/strong><\/p>\n After 27 bouts, the unbeaten run held by Ghana\u2019s most popular boxer in modern times, Braimah Kamoko aka Bukom Banku, was torn apart in rather spectacular fashion on Saturday at the Bukom Boxing Arena.<\/p>\n He came up against rival, Bastie Samir, in a much-hyped \u201cMake Or Break\u201d bout and truly, it was made for Bastie and it broke for Banku but it was not without incident. How could it have made headlines if it was all smooth?<\/p>\n First, there was a hold up for close to 20 minutes due to disagreements over the size and mass of Bastie\u2019s gloves and I found it very distasteful since the bout was live on SuperSport and by extension, the whole of Africa.<\/p>\n But eventually, the bell went and it was seven rounds of great action. Banku won the first two rounds and perhaps, it was because he was looking to end it quickly and make good on the promise of a knockout.<\/p>\n That did not happen and Bastie gathered himself and boxed on the front foot. His strengths and skills from years of boxing at an amateur level (including the 2008 Olympic Games where he captained Ghana\u2019s boxing team) began to show and he landed great combinations to win the 3rd, 4th and 7th rounds when he finally sent Banku down to the canvas and leave fans either stunned or standing for joy.<\/p>\n Takeways? Yes. It seems Banku\u2019s fall has excited a lot of people. The trash talking and the overt disrespect towards Bastie seems to have either rubbed people the wrong way or they just wanted to see a good contest and they got one for sure.<\/p>\n The other point for me is the Bastie Samir\u2019s exhibition on the day. He proved that he could really slug it out and that he had the ability to succeed but I wonder if it not too late for that. I do not know if he is considering making a push for bigger recognition but with good management and his own application, a good try will be worth his time.<\/p>\n The bout goes into the top ranks of my favourite boxing bouts but as for Bukom Banku, the trolls will continue. He needs to take them on the chin.<\/p>\n The teams in red<\/strong><\/p>\n <\/a><\/p>\n On Saturday\u2019s installment of the Premier League which was live on Citi 97.3 FM, I saw a sickening performance from Man United at Huddersfield and it sent my day into a dark spiral. There was no attitude, no guts and certainly, no urgency leading to a 2-1 loss and to add to that, my taps at home ere left unclosed and so, I was called home to meet a flood.<\/p>\n But the water could not cool the rage in my mind as I reflected on Juan Mata\u2019s silly error of losing a pass and failing to stop Aaron Mooy from going on a run that led to Huddersfield\u2019s first goal.<\/p>\n I was even angrier at Victor Lindelof at his school-boy decision not to clear a long ball which set up Huddersfield\u2019s second goal.<\/p>\n I think Jose Mourinho said it well when he underlined the fact that a loss to a team which fared better on attitude was a bad loss. I side totally with him. I would rather lose to a super team than one which ran more and showed more willingness.<\/p>\n I hope the manager will take hard decisions to punish the unserious players. Plus, we do need players back from injury. The team will look, feel and play better, I believe.<\/p>\n But then, I looked at Liverpool and I kept shaking my head. They gave four goals to Tottenham Hotspur at Wembley. Dejan Lovren gave two away, Joel Matip handed one over and the entire defensive group gave the fourth away in the second half after a free kick.<\/p>\n