STOLEN VERDICT...Banku still reigns...Mensah dethrones Congo Soldier

LOVERS OF boxing left the Azumah Nelson Complex in the early hours of last Saturday morning shocked by the decision of the Judges in the Paul Achaab and Philip Kotey's eight round welterweight contest in the Golden Jubilee boxing bonanza.

The decision, as strange as Satan in Heaven, saw Kotey of the Attoh Quarshie Gym emerging winner with a split points decision in a bout that saw Fit Square's Achaab dictating the pace of the fight from start to finish.

Judge Emmanuel Brenya scored the bout 78-76. J.B. Owusu Ansah had it 78-77 and Clement Ashong put his at 77-79.

The announcement of the verdict by ring announcer Prince Annang drew boos from the spectators with Achaab shaking his head in disbelief.

Achaab's dominance was clear as he pursued his opponent, punishing him with heavy punches throughout the entire eight round contest with Kotey occasionally retaliating.

The fans hardly realised whiling away the long night following the interesting bouts that preceded the much-awaited one between Bukom Banku and Mohammed Bameyie in the last fight of the night.

Before the 'big fight', two bouts that sent the crowd screaming through the morning was the Charles Adamu-Michael Gbenga final Commonwealth super middleweight elimination contest and the Ben Ankrah-Albert Mensah national lightweight championship showdown.

After trading heavy punches in the entire 12 rounds, it was Adamu who reigned supreme with a unanimous points decision, while Mensah also stunned Ankrah a.k.a Congo Soldier with a unanimous points decision.

All the three Judges scored the bout in favour of young Mensah, whose long reach aided him in snatching the title from the experienced champion, Ankrah.

Banku announced his arrival from afar in the midst of a large crowd chanting and singing with lighted torches.

And when he finally mounted the ring, he entertained the crowd by singing alongside Screw Face's hit song 'Bue' before the showdown.

He started on a quiet note but recoiled from his shell when he realised Bameyie could pose a serious threat to his unblemished 23 fight record.

His opponent survived Banku's heavy punches and fast jabs and he managed to hit his target once in a while.

In other bouts, Fit Square's and the Pan African WBO super featherweight champion, Maxwell Adamu in round five won against Aminu Turkson in a technical knock out in their super featherweight contest, while Sumaila Badu triumphed over Mohammed Ali with a technical knockout in round four in their super featherweight contest in the first fight of the night.

Joseph Agbeko from the Akotoku Academy, who defeated Baba Nzor of the Indigo club, won with a technical knockout in round four after Nzor's corner men threw in the towel in their catchweight contest.