Boxing Quotes: Sakio Bika vs. Andre Ward

ByBoxing Press


© Rich Hundley / Showtime Boxing

WBA super middleweight champion Andre “S.O.G.” Ward and world contender Sakio “The Scorpion” Bika met with local Bay Area media members on Wednesday to discuss their anticipated world title fight just three days away.

It will be the second consecutive defense of his world title for the local fighter Ward (22-0, 13 KOs), who will have his hands full against Bika (28-4-2, 19 KOs) of Sydney, Australia, via Douala, Cameroon on Saturday, Nov. 27, live on Showtime, live at 9 p.m. ET/PT.

In the first fight of the split-site doubleheader, “King” Arthur Abraham will meet Carl “The Cobra” Froch in the final Group Stage 3 bout of tournament for the vacant WBC super middleweight title. The world title match will be televised on same-day-delay from the Hartwall Areena in Helsinki, Finland.

The Oracle Arena in Oakland will be the site of the World Championship night of boxing which will begin at 4 p.m. featuring undefeated Jr. middleweight and 2008 US Olympian Javier Molina (4-0, 4 KOs), Sacramento’s undefeated lightweight Stan Martyniouk (10-0, 1KO), Houston’s power-punching Cornelius White (15-0, 14 KOs), plus four other bouts with the main event featuring Oakland’s finest starting at approximately 7 p.m.

Tickets are priced at $150, $75 and $35 are on sale now at the Oracle Box Office or visit www.coliseum.com or www.ticketmaster.com.

Goossen Tutor Promotions and TNT Boxing are promoting this night of World Championship boxing, with the championship bout in association with Golden Boy Promotions, the promoter for Bika.

Here’s what the principals had to say on Wednesday.

Andre Ward: “I thank God for the opportunity. I don’t take this time in my life for granted. I take my job seriously and appreciate the compliments, but I still feel that we have a lot of work to do before it is considered anything great.

“Sakio Bika and I have both had great camps. Come Saturday night I know that I am prepared both physically and mentally. Whether there are two or 100,000 fans in the stands makes no difference to me because I will still come in here to do my job.”

When asked about running in the ring:

“I step up and show what they’re dealing with in the ring. I am a fighter that doesn’t take a lot of punishment. Like Floyd Mayweather.”

Sakio Bika: “I am happy Andre Ward has given us the opportunity. I am looking for the win. Training camp went very well and we will win this fight. We have been training hard for six weeks.”

On his preferred style of fighting:

“I don’t care what kind of style of fighting an opponent brings to me. I do what I have to do to win the fight.”