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Underestimate Sakio Bika at your own peril
25-Nov-10 11:20
WBA super middleweight world champion Andre Ward faces Bika in Oakland, USA on Saturday November 27 on Showtime Championship Boxing. It is show of confidence by the American star and his promoter, considering that this fight is not part of the Showtime super middleweight tournament.
Ward is already headed to the Showtime semi-finals, but this fight counts nothing towards the tournament, because of boxer withdrawals through injury. Bika is certainly capable of an upset. Showtime have worked so hard and spent a lot of money to keep their tournament moving forward, but they may be caught with their pants down after this match.
If Ward were to lose to Bika, he will still continue on into the tournament semi-finals without his WBA world title and his confidence and reputation sorely bruised.
The promoters are either supremely confident in Ward, or they don’t rate Bika as much of a threat.
Win, lose or draw, Ward is headed for a bruising battle.
Just ask Joe Calzaghe who defeated Bika in October 2006, in what he labelled the most physical battle of his career.
Or what about Jean Paul Mendy, who was flattened by Bika in round 1 on July 31, before winning by disqualification via a follow-up punch from The Contender 2007 champion when he was down on the canvas.
Showtime’s boxing supremo Ken Hershman will most likely be perched on the end of his seat throughout this match. Ward vs. Bika is going to be extremely entertaining as long as it lasts.
Paul Upham
Content Editor, SecondsOut.com
uppy@optusnet.com.au
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