Boxing In Australia: Bika, Waters, Egberime Victorious

ByBruce Dingo

Three good fight cards took place over the last few days and we kick things off with Thursday’s show at The Orion Function Centre in Campsie, NSW.

Former two-time super middle world title challenger Sakio Bika, 28-3-2 (19), annihilated chinny Argentine import Nestor Fabian Casanova, 22-15 (9), in the first round to win his sixth bout in a row.

The iron-chinned Cameroon born Sydney resident could be heading for another title challenge and to date has only come up short against Joe Calzaghe, Lucien Bute and Sam Soliman.

Also on the bill, Solomon Egberime, 20-2 (10), retained the Australian light welter title with a ten round unanimous verdict over NSW welter champ Bobby Antonakos, 11-3-1 (3), despite losing a point for low blows in the sixth frame.

On Friday at Cronulla Sutherland Leagues Club in Cronulla, NSW, Ryan Waters, 16-2-1 (10), put a 13 bout win streak and the WBO Oriental light middle belt on the line against IBF Australian light middle and former Australian welterweight titlist Shannon McMahon, 16-4-1 (6).

The greater skills of Waters began to shine through as the bout went on with the Caringbah man cutting down the distance and outboxing Melbourne based McMahon.

Waters made a breakthrough in the eighth, pummeling the tiring McMahon, who made it through the frame only to see the ringside doctor end matters before the ninth could begin.

In other action on Friday, the Hilton Hotel in Brisbane saw a clash for the vacant Australian super feather title.

Queensland State champ Greg Eadie, 8-0 (4), added the Australian belt to his collection when he dropped veteran campaigner Brendan Batty, 15-19 (11), in the third, causing Batty’s corner to call a halt to the bout at 1:46 of the frame.

Eadie faces another seasoned foe, ex-Australian welterweight titlist Mick Shaw, next month at Queensland’s storied Mansfield Tavern.

Former OPBF heavyweight kingpin Alex Leapai, 16-3-3 (12), was also on the card in Brisbane but was held to a majority draw by Japan’s top rated heavyweight Masataka Takehara, 6-3-2 (2), after six rounds.