Sakio Bika

Infobox_Boxer


name = Sakio Bika
image size=
realname = Sakio Bika
nickname = The Scorpion
weight = Super Middleweight
height = height|ft=6|in=1
reach = 71"
nationality = flagicon|Cameroon Cameroon
birth_date = birth date and age|1979|4|18
death_date =
birth_place = Douala, Cameroon
home = Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
style = Orthodox
total = 31
wins = 26
KO = 16
losses = 3
draws = 2
no contests = 0

Sakio "The Scorpion" Bika (born April 18, 1979 in Douala, Cameroon), is a professional boxer in the Super Middleweight (168lb) division.

Amateur career

As an amateur, Bika was a member of the 2000 Cameroonian Olympic Team as a Light middleweight. He lost to Scott MacIntosh of Canada. Bika didn't capture a Gold Medal but he did find a new city, since the 2000 Olympics Bika fights out of Sydney, Australia.

Professional career

Known as "The Scorpion", has reputation for fighting dirty. Bika turned pro in 2000 and in 2006 challenged Markus Beyer for the WBC Super middleweight title. The fight was stopped after the fourth round due to a cut under Beyer's right eye caused by an accidental headbutt. The fight was scored a draw. On 14 October 2006 Bika challenged Joe Calzaghe at the MEN Arena in Manchester for the IBF and WBO titles. He was defeated unanimously by a wide margin, though it was by no means an easy ride for Calzaghe. Many observers saw it as a dirty fight, mostly down to Bika, who was penalised by a point for illegal use of the head (allegedly the cause of Beyer's cut eye when they met) and who was also seen to catch Calzaghe with a low blow near the end of the fight.

Bika's recently fought against undefeated Lucian Bute at the Bell Centre, Montreal, QC, Canada. Bute won by unanimous decision. The fight was held on the 15th of June as a IBF Super Middleweight Title Eliminator.

He is one of the featured boxers on the 3rd season of the boxing reality TV series, The Contender, premiering September 4th, 2007 on ESPN. After wins against Donny McCrary and in a rematch with Sam Soliman (the only fighter to defeat Bika other than Calzaghe and Bute), Bika earned a place in the final against Jaidon Codrington at the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston on November 6.

On Tuesday, November 06, 2007, Bika knocked out Jaidon "The Don" Codrington in the Championship bout to win The Contender 3. The fight was wild, with both fighters being knocked down in the first round. In the end, Bika stopped Codrington in the eighth round by referee stoppage (TKO). Bika walked away with $750,000 in prize money.

It has recently surfaced that Bika is informally asking for a bout between himself and Anthony "The Man" Mundine. He was reported as saying that Mundine fights with underqualifed boxers whom are not quite at his level. He has repeatedly asked for a bout but Mundine and his manager have refused on a number of occasions. He has called for Mundine to publicly announce a fight challenge in his next round interview. Bika says this will determine whether or not Mundine really is "The Man".

After the Codrington fight, Sakio returned to the ring in Australia with a first round KO of Argentinians Gustavo Javier Kapusi. Sakio stopped the fight right at the end of the round with a body shot. He is expected to face Edison Miranda in his next fight.

See also

External links

*boxrec|id=42088