Ayitey Powers make U-turn, but ...

...demands big purse
Popular Korle Gonno based boxer Michael “Ayitey Powers” Okine has exclusively explained why he decided not to fight on April 18, Good Friday and sign a contract when he does not fully agree with the financial rewards.

Powers who train at the York 250 Gym at Mamprobi, where he commands a sizeable number of supporters and fans said as a Christian he ought not to work on Good Friday, but go to church and remember the day Jesus Christ died for sinners.

Speaking to yours truly in another exclusive interview, he expressed that he is never afraid to fight any boxer that is why he is bold enough to travel out to opponent’s countries to face them.

“As for myloses, never mind because it is part of sports. You win some, draw some and sometimes lose some. I am never afraid to fight. Boxing is my business, so why should I be afraid of any boxer who falls within my weight category. I am ready to fight Bukom Banku, but the date was not considered. The promoters just shifted the fight a week back from April 25 to April 18. So it was not my fault. I have rather alerted them and it is good for Christians and Boxing” he explained.

“I am ready to fight Bukom Banku, I will sign on Monday, but I want the promoters to consider the purse. As an international boxer like me, certainly, I will demand good money. Even the musicians who came and sing are rewarded nicely and I want something good because when we started talking about this fight there was no sponsor, now we have TV3, SuperSport, Kasapreko all coming on board, and I heard within a few hours so many tickets were sold. We are going to do boxing well” he added.

According to Ayitey Powers, he love many local artistes including Tinny, but chose to enter the ring with Shatta Wale because he was also born and bred in Korle Gonno and those who claim nothing good comes from Korle Gonno should be ashamed.

His choice led to Braima Kamoko aka Bukom Banku also picking on Samini as his ring partner on the day of the fight dubbed the “Jugdement Night” by Box Office Promotions.

The two boxers engaged in endless verbal war on several of Ghana’s most famous radio sports shows yet agreeing to a deal for the much-sought fight never materialized for such a long time until the world-travelling Powers flew back to Australia where he last fought back in March this year.

He has been training incessantly down under until Henry Manly-Spain, the astute President of Golden Concepts and manager of Bukom Banku gave in to the public’s demand for the big fight to take place with August 30 set for a mouthwatering bill code-named ‘Put Up or Shut Up’ at the Accra Sports Stadium.

The fight suffered some drawback when Bukom Banku broke contract with his manager and Alex Ntiamoah of Box Office took up the challenge to stage the fight this year, with a new name for the big fight as “Jugdement Day”. To decide which of the two popular boxers is better. “They have made posters and fixed a new date.

I don't want to spoil the fight. I want the fight. I want to prove to everyone that I am still Powers. So if Banku’s managers are serious, they should stop the bragging and put on board 50,000ghc for both boxers” he noted.

Powers continued: “I had a contract to fight in Australia on 30th August but I said no because I want to come and fight Bukom Banku. I wanted to fight winner-takes-all because I know I will beat him any day, anywhere. I’m ever ready” he stressed.

Powers pleaded with the Ghana Boxing Authority, his fans and admirers for what has happened in the past few days and promised to sign and put up a good account of himself on the D day, May 16.

Meanwhile, the GBA has given Powers up till Monday April 14, 2014 to sign his portion of the contract or face the consequences.

President Peter Zwennes and the executives of the GBA have promised to descend heavily on him if he puts the sport which is a noble discipline into disrepute.