My victory over Bukom Banku was a result of hard work not 'juju' – Bastie

Boxer Bastie Samir, the man who handed Briamah Kamoko, better known as Bukom Banku his first defeat as a professional boxer has dismissed allegations from Banku that he used black magic or ‘juju’ in their fight in October 2017.

In a non-title fight scheduled for 12 rounds, Bastie produced the performance of his career to end Bukom's undefeated record by stopping him in the seventh round.

Banku looked in danger of being stopped earlier after he fell but held on before Bastie delivered the clinical blows in the seventh round to secure the victory and maintain his enviable unbeaten record.

Two years have passed since that memorable night, and all attempts to give Banku a rematch to redeem himself have proved futile.

Earlier this week, Bukom Banku seemed to have brought finality to whether or not he will engage Bastie Samir in a rematch saying he risk dying or suffering from a stroke if he goes ahead of the much-anticipated rematch.

Banku speaking to Accra based UTV also suggested that Bastie Samir used black magic, also known as juju on him in their maiden fight thus his decision not to follow through with the rematch.

“I still think about that from 2 years ago and I still do not understand how I lost to Bastie because I believed that he was not match for me.

However, I was scared at the time of the bout because I almost suffered a stroke that night. When I was getting into the ring, I saw that Bastie was larger in size. I knew him to be shorter than I was but he looked taller.

I asked my coach to confirm if that was really Bastie in the ring and he confirmed. That night at the arena, everything was in Bastie’s corner.

Even the mineral water being sold was supporting Bastie. Millions of people supported him while I had only five people going for me.

Should I face Bastie again, I will either suffer a stroke or I will die.”

But reacting to the news, Bastie Samir, said it is preposterous for Bukom Banku or anyone for that matter that his victory over the self-acclaimed African Mayweather is because of ‘juju’.

“I want the entire public to disregard Bukom Banku’s assertion that I used juju on him because you can’t win a boxing bout with that.

“My victory over him was as a result of hard work and not what he is thinking about. I am also ready to fight him anywhere in the world if only he would accept to share the ring with me again,” Bastie noted.