Tension grips Bukom

The management of Landmark Promotions Syndicate has appealed to rival supporters of welterweight boxer Joshua Clottey and super welterweight Ayittey Powers to exercise restraint before, during and after next Friday’s catchweight contest at the Globe Cinema Hall.

This follows reports of troubles and sporadic clashes between supporters of the two boxers in Bukom, the melting point of Ghana boxing, last Saturday and Sunday. What began as a normal argument over who would win the tension-packed fight on Friday turned into nasty running battles between factions from Clottey’s Sakumo Tsonshi and Powers’ Cassava House at an outdooring party in Bukom last Saturday.

Though no injuries were reported, the troubles extended to Sunday with about a dozen youths taunting each other at the Sea View Hotel near Mantse Agbonaa.

Reacting to the incidents, Anthony Kermah, Chief Executive of Landmark Promotions, appealed to the supporters to eschew violence and tolerate each other’s view in the spirit of good sportsmanship. As the troubles spilled over into the streets, the two fighters confined themselves to the rigid discipline of their respective gyms, polishing up for the show time.

And while Joshua prefers absolute silence ahead of the event, Ayittey Powers continues with his verbal assault. Last Saturday on an Accra radio programme, he treated his opponent with respect but said it is time for the Africa welterweight champion to get beaten.

Ayittey Powers is keen on punishing Joshua Clottey for comments attributed to Clottey after Powers had been given a highly controversial verdict in a fight last month against Beninois Victor Kpodenou.

Joshua Clottey was reported to have said publicly that the decision was bad and that Kpodenou won the fight. After a review, the Ghana Boxing Authority (GBA) reversed the decision in favour of the Beninois. Another highly-anticipated fight will match Malik Jabir against Kumasi-based Ben Tutu in a featherweight challenge contest.

The rest of the bouts are: James Toney vs Jean Thomas of Cote d’ Ivoire; Ange Adjaho vs Sarfo Tyson; Abdulai Amindu vs Elol Cyrile; Philip Kotey vs Ishmael Tetteh; Alex Brew vs Akuetteh Mosquito and Alfred Odai vs Mustapha Appiah.