I'm a big Sakio Bika (27-3-2, 18 KOs) fan, but let's be real -- he'd got ripped to pieces if he gets his wish of a fight with Bernard Hopkins (49-5-1, 32 KOs). Bika might be tailor-made for Hopkins: He's a no-frills, tough as nails brawler (although his boxing skills have improved marginally recently) with a bit of a reputation for dirty fighting. Hopkins, by contrast, is equally tough, but a far wilier boxer and strategist who I don't think would have any trouble deciphering Bika.
Fortunately, this fight won't happen: Hopkins has bigger fish to fry with a possible matchup against Tomasz Adamek (37-1, 25 KOs) at Cruiserweight. But some of the other names Bika's folks mentioned in lieu of Hopkins pique my interest far more. Bika's promoters say that he's already been ducked by Anthony Mundine (35-3, 23 KOs) and Librado Andrade (27-2, 21 KOs). The Mundine fight could be massive in Australia (where both are based), and Bika/Andrade is a match-up I've wanted to see for a long time, since as far I can tell both are completely impervious to pain. I doubt that Bika/Hopkins would be a fight of the year candidate, as Bika's people claim. Bika/Andrade, on the other hand, I can very much imagine being in the mix.
Other names on the list include Carl Froch, Jermain Taylor, Mikkel Kessler, and Jeff Lacy. The winner (or, honestly, the loser) of Froch/Taylor would be an excellent and intriguing match-up between top 10 guys in the 168 pound division. Carl Froch (24-0, 19 KOs) has proven himself to be a solid and tremendously capable fighter. Jermain Taylor (28-2-1, 17 KOs) possesses unbelievable athletic gifts, but I would be very interested to see how he'd respond to Bika's strength and pressure.
Mikkel Kessler (41-1, 31 KOs) would be a big challenge for Bika -- but Kessler has been awfully gun-shy about taking on a real live dog recently, and Bika certainly would qualify as one. As for Jeff Lacy (24-2, 17 KOs), while the former champ escaped with a 10 round decision against Peter Manfredo, Bika blasted him out in three. Lacy's clearly not the fighter he once was, but a win by Bika over "left hook" would still be the biggest name on his resume to date.
Bring any of 'em on, I say. I want to see Sakio Bika in the ring again, and soon.
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1 comment:
I personally would like to see Bika vs Andrade.
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