Bukom Banku's son Abu Kamoko aims to surpass his father's boxing legacy

As the African Games approach, Ghanaian boxing enthusiasts eagerly anticipate the debut of Abu Kamoko, a promising talent with aspirations beyond his father's achievements in the ring.

 Hailing from a lineage of boxing greatness, Abu, the son of the renowned Braimah Kamoko, known affectionately as Bukom Banku, is determined to carve his own path to success in the cruiserweight division representing Ghana.

While his father clinched a bronze medal at the African Games and enjoyed a commendable professional career spanning over two decades, Abu Kamoko is fuelled by a hunger for gold. 

"My father competed at the African Games and took bronze, but I am going for gold," the confident 20-year-old, during a recent interview with the Graphic Sports at the team's training camp in Legon, Accra, said.

Nicknamed 'Ambitious Tilapia', Abu boldly declared his intentions to exceed his father's accomplishments and to claim a world title, a feat that eluded his father. 

"I came into boxing to improve on my dad's achievement. He didn't win a world title but he was a great boxer; I will get a world title," he gave an assurance.

Competition at the African Games gets underway today (March 8), but the boxing competition begins on March 15.

Ghana will be represented by a 20-member team consisting of seven female and 13 male boxers, as the Black Bombers target a record medal haul, including elusive gold.

"I am told it has been 33 years since we last won gold, but I am here to win gold for Ghana," he noted.

Under the expert guidance of Head Trainer, Ofori Asare, and his seasoned assistants, Lartekwei Lartey and Benjamin Tetteh, Abu Kamoko and his teammates have gone through rigorous training sessions, to refine their skills and condition them for the impending challenge.

According to an official of the African Boxing Confederation (ABC), a total of 316 boxers from 34 countries had entered this year’s African Games boxing competition, which would start at the Bukom Boxing Arena, Accra.

The 2019 African Games in Rabat attracted 31 countries. Morocco clinched the overall team title with four gold, two silver and one bronze followed by Botswana, Algeria, Egypt and Nigeria.

Uganda had the last laugh in the East Africa bragging rights battle, finishing ninth with two silver and one bronze ahead of 11th-placed Kenya with one silver and four bronze medals.