Andre Ward-Sakio Bika nearly finished, fight won't be in Super Six
by Scott Christ on Oct 14, 2010 6:00 PM EDT
in Boxing News Analysis
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Rick Reeno of BoxingScene.com reports today that the rumored November 27 fight between WBA super middleweight titlist Andre Ward and Sakio Bika is nearly completed. The fight will not be part of the Super Six World Boxing Classic. Ward was set to fight Andre Dirrell in the tournament in a pivotal fight, but Dirrell recently withdrew from the event.
Ward (22-0, 13 KO) came onto the world scene last November with a shockingly dominant technical decision victory over Mikkel Kessler, and earlier this year easily disposed of Allan Green via 12-round rout. Bika (28-4-2, 19 KO) has been a contender for years. He has losses to Joe Calzaghe in 2006 and Lucian Bute in 2007, then won what was easily the best season of "The Contender" in 2007. He followed that with three straight wins before a DQ-1 loss this year to Jean Paul Mendy.
Ward has gotten his last two wins in part because he's really molded himself into an effective bully fighter. There's no getting around the fact that he'll use his head as a weapon, as he did against Kessler, and he shoved Green around the ring at will. He beat up on both guys. Despite having top skills (he was an Olympic gold medalist), Ward doesn't rely on athletic ability. Without a big punch, he's start to become an intimidating fighter.
But that's why this fight is kind of interesting. Bika isn't near the class of boxer that Ward is, but Bika himself is known for roughing up his opponents. It's highly unlikely that Ward will be as easily able to push around Bika as he was Kessler and Green, and any foul play is likely to be returned from the Cameroonian. It could turn into a chippy, mean-spirited fight in a hurry if both fight up to their recent reputations.
As for the fight not being in the Super Six, it doesn't surprise me. Bika is not exactly the most reliable guy. He recently turned down a spot in the tournament, and earlier this year dropped out of a proposed fight with Green to determine the replacement for Jermain Taylor. Trying to lock Bika into upwards of three fights probably isn't worth the headaches.
The bout will take place at Ward's home arena, the Oracle Arena in Oakland. Showtime's broadcast will go head-to-head with an HBO triple-header, headlined by Juan Manuel Marquez-Michael Katsidis for the lightweight championship of the world.
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Well this kinda sucks
Was going to go to vegas for the Marquez-Katsidis fight, but now I have to make a decision. Boo!
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
You are completely right, but I’m gonna feel bad not supporting my boy!
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Oct 14, 2010 8:47 PM EDT up reply actions
ugh
and the fight sucks. And the undercard will likely be turrible.
Just to get it on record before anyone else, Ward TKO – 1
by journeyintosound on Oct 14, 2010 11:15 PM EDT up reply actions
Could end up being the dirtiest major fight in recent memory
Unless you count Cruz-Solis as major. I’ve only ever read about fights as dirty as that one.
Bad Left Hook - The SB Nation boxing blog
"Baseball is played on the field, not on a calculator."
Bika will get dominated, could get stopped, but a few rounds with him should be better than Ward’s fight against Green. This will be on everybody’s DVR anyhow as we all should be watching something else on the 27th.
"Mug an old lady, and if you have the right connections the WBO will rank you seventh." -Steve Farhood
So what happens with the Super6 scoring now?I mean,if Abraham KO’d Froch he would go ahead of Ward in the table,which would obviously be unfair.
In most events forfeit = max points, but I have no idea whats going on with the super six. Honestly, the points to give Ward is the least of their issues.
"The bell that tolls for all in boxing belongs to a cash register."
-Bob Verdi
by Waldo Rastel on Oct 15, 2010 2:12 PM EDT up reply actions
Froch v AA; winner fights Ward: end of tournament. The Super Six needs to be put to rest. I think Ward v Bika could be a better fight than people think. Unlike Kessler and Green, Bika will throw caution to the wind and try to turn the fight into a street brawl. As a result it’ll be a sloppy mess, but it could be an entertaining sloppy mess. And Bika has good power, so you never know what could happen if he connects with Ward’s head.
Then what would be the point in Johnson v Green?
Or has that one been called off while i wasn’t looking?
Ocelot
You are right in what you say though and i said the same thing a while back.It should just be Ward v the Froch – Abraham winner.
I mean,why not just make the Bika fight part of the tourney?I think he is about as good a replacement as you can get at this stage and they did that with G Johnson.I know Ward was likely headed through as the points leader but i don’t think he should just get 2 points on a forfeit decision.He should have to beat Bika for those points or if not then why does Allan Green not get forfeit points from Kessler pulling out too?
It’s a royal mess is this toruney now and i don’t think it was thought out thoroughly enough.
Any future tournies should just be done int he same way as the 118lbs one is being done with 4 fighters,semi finals and a final,imo,or at the very least there should be none of this long,drawn out group stage.
Some (not me) have called the faults with this format all along and they were right.
No, it’s going forward. I just think Johnson v Green is a waste of time as part of the tournament. As a fight it’s fine, but it has no bearing on the tournament, which by necessity will be won by one of the three remaining original fighters.
Lucian Bute
is gonna have a big advantage should he eventually meet the Super 6 winner.
He has had plenty of gimme fights in his title reign while the Super 6 guys have been ruining each other!
I always said the tournament,for all those top matchups would shorten careers.
Bute will be fresh and raring to go when the time comes.
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