by James Slater – Teak-tough Cameroon-born Australian Sakio Bika has complained bitterly in the recent past about how he has been unable to get himself a big fight. Accusing the top names of avoiding him, “The Scorpion” has been forced to remain relatively idle lately (just two fights in 2008, just one last year – all quick stoppage wins). But now, according to BoxRec and a number of other whispers on the net, the 30-year-old super-middleweight is set to get a fight the kind of which he has been hoping for.
Scheduled to face the once-beaten Allan Green on February 5th in a fight that may be televised by Show Time, the warrior with the granite chin is potentially one win away from something even bigger.. The 29-1(20) Green , like Bika aged 30, is also mightily determined to become a world champion himself, however, and a tough fight had better be expected by both guys.
Bika, 28-3-2(19) has never been stopped (neither has Green) and he has mixed it at the top level in the past – most famously dropping reasonably close decisions to Joe Calzaghe and Lucian Bute, in a world title fight and a world title fight eliminator, respectively. The edge in world class experience definitely goes to Bika in the Feb. fight.
Since the June 2007 points loss to Bute, Bika has gone 6-0(4), but he has had spells of what he says was forced inactivity. Last fighting in July of 2009, Bika could possibly be a little ring-rusty by February. Former amateur standout Green, who has yet to fight for any version of the world title, and who has also fought as high as 181-pounds in the past (Green stands 6’2″ to Bika’s 6’0.5″) had two good wins last year; as he blew away Carlos De Leon Junior inside two-rounds in April and then out-scored the unbeaten Tarvis Simms in October. The better boxer of the two men, Green, if he can make it his type of fight, can perhaps outclass the tough but less skilled Bika.
Green’s chin, no way as sturdy as that of his rival’s, could let possibly him down. In his only loss, on points to the dangerous Edison Miranda back in March of 2007, the man known as “Ghost Dog” was downed twice, both times in the 10th and last round. Can Bika wear Green down and stop him late?
Both Green and Bika have plenty to prove, and both fighters wanted very much to have been a part of the exciting “Super Six” super-middleweight Boxing Classic tournament. Hungry to get to the top in a different way now, the two 30-year-old’s will almost certainly be more than willing to go to war with one another in February.
The prize for the winner could conceivably be a title shot of some kind, maybe against the eventual winner of “Super Six.” As such, both guys will be extremely motivated and a great fight can be expected. I go for Bika to get the late stoppage after having fallen behind on points early.