Is There Anyone Out There Willing To Fight Sakio Bika?

By Paul Upham: Step up. Step up. Is anyone out there willing to fight The Contender 2007 winner and IBO super middleweight boxing world champion Sakio Bika? Right now it seems there is no boxer out there to accept the “Scorpion’s” challenge.

“The other boxers must think I am too tough,” smiled Bika, who gave Joe Calzaghe a brutal battle in October 2006. “When you are the world champion, you have to fight the best fighters. I am challenging everyone. I even challenged Bernard Hopkins and he doesn’t want to fight me.”

With a physique seemingly carved in stone, Bika proved his excitement value in his thrilling win over Jaidon Codrington to win The Contender championship in November 2007. He followed that in 2008 with a 1st round knockout of Gustavo Kapusi, before stopping Peter Manfredo Jr in three rounds to win the vacant IBO world title belt on November 13 in Providence, Rhode Island.

“My promoter Jeff Wald has been talking to all of the other promoters about me and no one wants to fight me,” said Bika. “We asked Golden Boy Promotions about a fight with Bernard Hopkins in February. They said they will call us back in two weeks time. I have not heard from them and I think I could be still waiting in twenty years time.”

Right now, 29 year-old Bika 27-3-2 (18) has a clear boxing fight calendar for 2009.

“I’d love to fight for the WBC world title, the winner of the fight between Carl Froch and Jermain Taylor,” Bika told SecondsOut. “I have never seen Froch fight before. I am looking forward to seeing how he handles Jermain Taylor on April 25 in Connecticut. I give Froch credit for being prepared to fight in America. The better fighters are prepared to travel to America to face the best.”

Another wanted fight for Bika is a rematch with current IBF world champion Lucian Bute. The two fought in June 2007 in an IBF eliminator. The Romanian born Canada based boxer winning a twelve round points decision.

“Bute does not want to fight me again,” said Bika. “Bute has to fight No.1 contender Librado Andrade again now and if Andrade beats him, I am happy to fight him instead for the IBF world title.”

Cameroon born Bika was interested to hear that fellow IBO world title holder Daniel Geale will face Anthony “The Man” Mundine on May 27 in Brisbane.

“That is a good fight for Choc (Mundine),” said Bika. “But he is going to have to work because Daniel Geale comes to fight. Geale can hit hard, he has good timing. But I am not sure he has the punch to win the fight. That is the problem for him. Daniel has good speed. He is the better boxer, but to beat Anthony Mundine, you have to knock him out. You just can’t go the distance to win.”

If Geale were to spring an upset and beat “The Man”, Bika has a suggestion as to what former WBA world champion Danny Green, who is making a comeback to rematch Mundine, should do.

“Maybe Danny Green and I will have to fight,” suggested Bika. “Maybe I need to challenge him to a fight at light heavyweight. We have sparred and we are friends, but this is business. Give me the opportunity.”

If Bika can’t get a big fight in the USA soon, he has plans to launch his own promotional company in Australia.

“I want to get a fight in June or July,” said Bika, “and if no one will fight me in the USA, I will put on my own promotion here in Australia. This business is tough. You can’t make people fight you. So many people spoil the sport because they won’t make the best fights. We want the best to fight the best, but some fighters are scared to fight.”


Paul Upham
Content Editor