Fighter Of The Week - Sakio Bika

This week we have chosen Sakio Bika as our 

fighter of the week...

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97 - @BoxingOpinions1

The main event was crazy, it was exciting, it was the one we all wanted to watch, but the performance from the winner Adrien Broner wasn't really a show-stealing performance. In fact nobdoy on the show last night, except for maybe Malignaggi, put on a better performance than we were expecting. But one man for me that does deserve a lot of credit is Sakio Bika. After years of trying and four previous attempts, the 34-year old finally achieved his dream of becoming world champion.

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Manfredo Jr still has "Unfinished Business!"

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97.

Things looked bright for 'The Pride Of Providence' Peter Manfredo Jr when he came out of the 2005 Contender Series a more popular fighter than ever and with a bigger fan base than he may have ever expected. And for three or four years he did live the life of a "mainstream" boxer but now he faces what he believes is the "inevitable" outcome for any professional boxer.

Manfredo returns this weekend at the Twin River Event Center when he takes on Walter Wright (14-3, 7 KO's) in a 10-round contest. His comeback began back in November of last year with a unanimous decision victory Rayco Saunders, and the 32-year old believes this next fight can get him back to where he wants to be. A win is a must for Manfredo at this stage of his career, and he is certain he can get that. But this time his lifestyle are preparations are a bit different to his fights back in the day with the likes of Joe Calzaghe and Jeff Lacy.

A normal day now for Manfredo begins at 4 with the 32-year old going off to his day-job in Boston. He then  travels 50 or so miles back to Rhode Island for a few hours of training with each session becoming longer and tougher as fight night grows near. After a long and tiring day he then heads home to Connecticut with his wife and kids before doing it all again the next day. Balancing life as a laborer and professional boxer is a tough ask for any man but Manfredo believes it is worth it if it means he doesn't have to go through the plagued aftermath that many retired boxers do.

Bika earns WBC mandatory spot with win over Sjekloca!

By Jack Price @PriceyJ97.

Ring veteran Sakio Bika reaffirmed himself as a contender in the super-middleweight division last night with a unanimous decision victory over undefeated Russian Nikola Sjekloca on the undercard of Adrien Broner Vs Gavin Rees at the Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City.

The 33-year old entered as the favourite but many people believed that the No.1 ranked Sjekloca would be a tough test for him. However, it proved a relatively easy night for the iron-chinned "Scorpion." Bika was always going to be tougher and stronger but he also managed to out-box his younger opponent for the majority of the fight. His jab was affective and it was out-shining the low work rate of Sjekloca.

All three judges were in agreement giving the fight to Bika by scores of 119-109, 118-112 & 120-108. There were a few good spurts from Sjekloca and he proved that he's a tough guy, but there was no doubt that Bika had won this fight. 

Sakio Bika Vs Nikola Sjekloca - Fight Preview

By Jack Sumner @Jack_Sumner_

Bika has shared the ring with the very best.

Three-time world title challenger Sakio Bika looks to earn himself a fourth shot this weekend, when he squares off against unbeaten contender Nikola Sjekloca on the Broner-Rees undercard at the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City.

Bika (30-5-2, 21 KOs) is ranked as the WBC’s number two super middleweight and in Sjekloca takes on the organisation’s number one, with the winner expected to challenge Lucian Bute for the WBC 168lb strap if the injured Andre Ward is made a ‘champion in recess’.

A rather questionable sequence of events, particularly considering Bute’s uninspiring comeback win following the brutal Carl Froch defeat, but neither Bika or Sjekloca need to consider boxing politics as they attempt to land their own chance at a world crown.