Anthony Dirrell plans on out-boxing Sakio Bika on August 16th
Sakio Bika
Anthony Dirrell: I’m going to KO Bika and bring the WBC belt back to Flint
By Scott Gilfoid: #5 WBC Anthony Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KOs) realizes the mistakes he made the last time he fought WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika (32-5-3, 21 KOs) in their fight last December when the two of them fought to a 12 round draw.
Dirrell, 29, doesn’t plan on making those same mistakes when he faces the 35-year-old Bika in their rematch next month on August 16th at the StubHub Center, in Carson, California, USA. Dirrell found Bika too easy to hit the last time he fought him, and he went overboard after knocking him down in the 8th round with a huge left to the head.
Groves: Bika and Dirrell are winnable fights for me
By Scott Gilfoid: George Groves (19-2, 15 KOs) has been stopped in his last two fights in defeats at the hands of IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch. The WBC still feels that Groves is a worthy enough contender to fight in their WBC super middleweight eliminator bout on September 20th against Christopher Rebrasse (22-2-3, 6 KO’s) at the Wembley Arena in London, UK.
Groves expects to get through that fight in flying colors, and then take on the winner of the August 16th fight between WBC 168 pound champion Sakio Bika (32-5-3, 21 KOs) and Anthony Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KO’s) later on this year in December for the WBC title.
Bika wants Froch after Anthony Dirrell rematch
By Scott Gilfoid: Anthony Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KO’s) and WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika (32-5-3, 21 KO’s) will do it again in a much needed rematch next month on August 16th at the StubHub Center in Carson, California. Dirrell, 29, was arguably robbed in their previous fight last December when the fight was scored a 12 round draw despite Dirrell’s much superior work, and cleaner landing shots.
The judges thought that Bika’s aggressiveness and higher punch output was more important than the higher connect percentage and the harder landing shots from Dirrell. Usually it’s the opposite with the judges scoring the fight for the harder puncher with the higher connect percentage, but not in this fight.
Groves to fight in September, and then challenge Bika-Dirrell winner in December
By Scott Gilfoid: With his once promising career crumbling after back to back knockout losses to IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch in his last two fights, George Groves (19-2, 15 KO’s), #6 WBA, #8 WBO, #11 IBF, reportedly will be back in the ring this September to fight against an opponent that will likely be announced this week by Sauerland Events.
Provided that Groves wins that scrap, he’ll be back in the ring in December to fight the winner of the August 16th fight between WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika (32-5-3, 21 KO’s) and #5 WBC Anthony Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KO’s), according to The Mirror.
Brook-Porter and Dirrell-Bika II on 8/16 at StubHub Center, Carson, California
By Scott Gilfoid: Well, it looks like #1 IBF Kell Brook (32-0, 22 KO’s) has finally got his fight against IBF welterweight champ Shawn Porter (24-0-1, 15 KO’s). Dan Rafael of ESPN is saying that the Brook-Porter fight will be taking place on August 16th at the StubHub Center in Carson, California.
The card included a rematch between WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika and #5 WBC Anthony Dirrell. The card will be televised by Showtime.
Bika vs. Dirrell 2 in the works for August 16th
(Photo credit: Showtime Boxing) By Scott Gilfoid: A rematch between WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika (32-5-3, 21 KO’s) and #5 WBC, #7 WBO Anthony Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KO’s) is in the works for August 16th, along with former WBA junior middleweight champion Austin Trout (26-2, 14 KOs) facing Daniel Dawson (40-3-1, 26 KO’s) for possibly the WBA 154 pound interim belt. There’s isn’t a venue yet, but it’s likely that the card will take place in New York.
Bika, 35, and Dirrell fought last December at the Barlcays Center in Brooklyn, New York, with the fight being ruled a 12 round draw. The judges scored it 114-112 for Bika, and 116-110 for Dirrell, and 114-114 even. Dirrell knocked Bika down in the 5th round after tagging him with a beautiful right hand to the head, and flurrying on him with massive head shots. Bika got back up and survived the round just barely.
Groves to fight on September 13th or 20th, targeting Bika for WBC title in 2015
By Scott Gilfoid: Kalle Sauerland, the promoter for the recently knockout George Groves (19-2, 15 KO’s), says that he’ll be back in the ring on September 13th or 20th in London, UK. The plan is to get him an eventual title shot against WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika after Groves fight an eliminator bout to get that fight.
If Groves can win that strap, Sauerland will put him in with WBO 168lb champion Arthur Abraham, who Sauerland promotes, in a unification fight. It sounds like a good idea except for one problem. Groves’ chin might not be good enough for him to take 12 rounds of huge power shots from Bika for him to beat him.
Hearn rules out Andre Ward or Bika for Froch’s next fight
By Scott Gilfoid: IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch’s promoter Eddie Hearn says that he’s not considering either 168 lb. world title holders Andre Ward or Sakio Bika for Froch’s next fight in November or December this year, as he doesn’t see either of them as being a big enough financial draw for him to make a fight with them for Froch.
Hearn realizes that Froch would like to try and avenge his defeat to Ward, but he doesn’t see the financial incentive being big enough for Froch to want to get in the ring with the Oakland, California native for the fight to happen.
Bika wants Froch unification fight
By Scott Gilfoid: WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika (32-5-3, 21 KO’s) smells blood and weakness from IBF/WBA super middleweight champion Carl Froch (32-2, 23 KO’s) following his controversial 9th round stoppage victory over George Groves last month, and Bika wants to fight Froch next to take his belts from him once and for all.
Bika saw how Froch was badly hurt by Groves in getting knocked down hard in the 1st round of their fight, and he feels that Froch was extremely fortunate when the British referee Howard John Foster stepped in to halt the fight in the 9th round when Groves wasn’t hurt.