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Sakio Bika was 0-2-1 in world title fights before tonight, but after a majority decision win over Marco Antonio Periban, he can now call himself "world champion," landing the vacant WBC super middleweight title this evening by outbrawling the Mexican.
Bika (32-5-2, 21 KO) emerged the victor on scores of 116-112, 115-113, and 114-114. BLH had it 115-113 for Bika, as well.
Bika was closer to his old "BIKA SMASH!" days for this one than he was the more controlled fighter we've seen since he first joined up with trainer Kevin Cunningham, more of a wildman brawler, as we'd seen in his pre-KC days. He looked really no better or worse than ever before tonight, but was able to outfight if not outbox Periban (20-1, 13 KO).
When Periban was able to use his jab consistently, he had some success controlling the action, but Bika's hard-charging efforts kept him off-balance more often than Periban would have liked, and he seemed to lack the power to really hurt Bika, at least until late in the fight, when the two of them, both looking gassed out and desperate to take the round, absolutely went to town on one another in the final round, throwing everything but the kitchen sink.
After the bout, Bika thanked everyone he could think of, while Periban complained about the decision and headbutts that banged up both fighters. "I showed I was a better boxer, a cleaner boxer," said Periban, saying that Bika initiated the headbutts.
"He's not the champion," Periban said. "There's no justice. He's taking that belt, and it's a lie."
How did you score the fight? Did you think Periban was "robbed," or were the scores in line with what you saw?
Earlier results: Rau'Shee Warren TKO-2 Jovany Fuentes / Julian Williams UD-8 Joachim Alcine / Marcus Browne TKO-2 Ricardo Campillo
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