Nigel Benn confirms fight with Saiko Bika, November 23

All the rumors have turned out to be true as former British star fighter Nigel Benn (42-5-1, 35 KOs) held a press conference in London today to formally announce that he’ll be coming out of retirement to take on Saiko Bika (34-7-3, 22 KOs) on November 23.

Benn, 55, hasn’t fought professionally since 1996, but says this fight has nothing to do with financial need or age — saying neither are a factor — but that he’s only made this decision to come back in order to get closure on his career.

“I’m more fit now than when I was a world champion. It’s not the Dark Destroyer anymore, now it’s Nigel Benjamin Button Benn. I one hundred percent mean that.

“I am so fit. I need closure. I could have picked an easy opponent, but that’s not me. Everyone telling me not to do it, no. Worry about him, not me.”

In fairness, Bika, while out of action for a couple of years himself, is a credibly dangerous opponent for Benn here. Even at age 40, Bika has always had a reputation of a rough-and-tumble fighter, and that sort of style could be real hell on a 55-year-old man.

Benn-Bika is set to be held at the Resorts World Arena in Birmingham, England, and will air live on PPV via Epicentre.tv for £14.95.