Joe Calzaghe will defend his WBO super middleweight title against Cameroon's Sakio Bika on 14 October at the MEN Arena in Manchester.
It will be the Welshman's first fight since beating America's Jeff Lacy in sensational fashion in March.
The 27-year-old Bika, who is based in Australia, has been defeated just once in 23 professional encounters.
Calzaghe has been promised a "mega fight" next February by promoter Frank Warren if he comes through unscathed.
From here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/4786899.stm
BOYCOTT THIS SHIT
don't watch it in america, don't buy tickets to it in the UK - just fucking boycott it. This is absolutely pathetic, what a fucking joke
lucian bute
danny green
So, to summarise, Calzaghe is criticised for fighting one no-mark instead of another one of several no-mark. I haven't seen anyone mentioned in this entire thread that was available that is anything other than cannon fodder.
It is a disappointing fight though. Maybe this is a tune up for the "mega fight" planned for February? All a bit "jam tomorrow" though.
Still, Macca vs Johnny Nelson on the undercard. Could well be a cracker that.
Joe Calzaghe will defend his WBO super middleweight title against Cameroon's Sakio Bika on 14 October at the MEN Arena in Manchester.
It will be the Welshman's first fight since beating America's Jeff Lacy in sensational fashion in March.
The 27-year-old Bika, who is based in Australia, has been defeated just once in 23 professional encounters.
Calzaghe has been promised a "mega fight" next February by promoter Frank Warren if he comes through unscathed.
From here
http://news.bbc.co.uk/sport1/hi/boxing/4786899.stm
I expect him to have an unspectacular performance in this fight, i can almost hear the excuses, "i was unmotivated for this fight", he will probably hurt his hand again and retire. He had all the momentum and spotlight after lacy and goes back to this kind of tune up to nowhere.
O.K, I admit that I haven't heard of Bika but checking out his record he fought Sam Soliman and stayed the distance. I notice that he had a fight against Marcus Beyer but it was stopped on a accidential headclash. Maybe Calzaghe will under estimate him and we'll have a great fight but I'm very disapointed in the choice of rival.
Anthony Mundine would have been available and willing.
Who`s next for Calzaghe after Bika ??
Perhaps Calzaghe can go to LH and fight Reggie Strickland :p :D
http://boxrec.com/boxer_display.php?boxer_id=004741
Good candidates listed there, I admit I forgot about Mundine and Andrade.
Bute is not ready, though, and D.Green would look bad because why not fight Mundine instead? I wish it was Mundine, Andrade or Markussen.
In fairness to Calzaghe, who is available for this date for him? He had Glen Johnson on the docket, but of course that didn't come off, then Johnson took the Woods fight and Calzaghe was left twisting.
Obviously Kessler and Beyer are unavailable. Roy Jones wants a billion dollars and people would rip Calzaghe for fighting Jones anyway. Allan Green would be more acceptable than this (which, don't get me wrong, is VERY disappointing), but if he wasn't dropped by his sparring partner he would have the fight. Hopkins isn't coming out of retirement...yet. Taylor isn't moving up...yet. Winky? That is the one fight that could have been made and would be a megafight PPV, and I wish that would have happened, but that's boxing. All in all, it's a sad fight, but it's not like Calzaghe is turning down A list fighters left and right to fight a bum...there are/were very limited options with this fight.
I lost respect for him when he got "injured" and called off a fight he had with Johnson. A fight that he himself was trying to take on short notice not to allow Johnson time to train.:rolleyes:
In fairness to Calzaghe, who is available for this date for him? He had Glen Johnson on the docket, but of course that didn't come off, then Johnson took the Woods fight and Calzaghe was left twisting.
Obviously Kessler and Beyer are unavailable. Roy Jones wants a billion dollars and people would rip Calzaghe for fighting Jones anyway. Allan Green would be more acceptable than this (which, don't get me wrong, is VERY disappointing), but if he wasn't dropped by his sparring partner he would have the fight. Hopkins isn't coming out of retirement...yet. Taylor isn't moving up...yet. Winky? That is the one fight that could have been made and would be a megafight PPV, and I wish that would have happened, but that's boxing. All in all, it's a sad fight, but it's not like Calzaghe is turning down A list fighters left and right to fight a bum...there are/were very limited options with this fight.
Markussen (still rated at 168. #1 by the WBO)
Inkin
Froch
Mundine
Andrade
In fairness to Calzaghe, who is available for this date for him? He had Glen Johnson on the docket, but of course that didn't come off, then Johnson took the Woods fight and Calzaghe was left twisting.
Obviously Kessler and Beyer are unavailable. Roy Jones wants a billion dollars and people would rip Calzaghe for fighting Jones anyway. Allan Green would be more acceptable than this (which, don't get me wrong, is VERY disappointing), but if he wasn't dropped by his sparring partner he would have the fight. Hopkins isn't coming out of retirement...yet. Taylor isn't moving up...yet. Winky? That is the one fight that could have been made and would be a megafight PPV, and I wish that would have happened, but that's boxing. All in all, it's a sad fight, but it's not like Calzaghe is turning down A list fighters left and right to fight a bum...there are/were very limited options with this fight.
I remember a Calzaghe fan saying "Kessler and Taylor are not interesting for Calzaghe now. He is moving to LH to fight Hopkins or RJJ. Only mega fights from now on. Others said: "No, Kessler will not sell enough tickets - HBO is deciding and they want only mega names".
if this wasn't so sad, it would actually be funny... :spank:
That a Pussy :nono:
So much for Markussens chance... It'll never happen for this guy
Rudy Markussen has been the rightful mandatory for Calzaghe for over one year now :mad:
Many fighters have found themselves waiting years and years as mandatory, and WBO did nothing. That is another reason why WBO is a joke organisation and in the pockets of their champs
Bika is actually a very decent fighter. He was starting to get the better of Beyer before the fight was called off. He probably deserves another title shot, so its a good fight for both parties.
Of all the big names out there, this is the best Joe could come up with? He is at a point in his career that he should only fight names guys. Joe lost here folks.