Calzaghe - Bika comment

[AdamGB]

The IBF?

so what...

If you haven't fought in a year and are still ranked number 2 despite being beltless and having no real wins to your name then what does that tell you about the IBFs rankings?

If Bika is stupid enough to take a fight with the best super middle weight for two unified belts after fighting and being in camp 2 months ago that's his choice, I am assuming Berrio wasn't that stupid.

Its funny what changes in one fight when you lack the ability to see past one isn't it...

[Purist]

The IBF?

so what...

If you haven't fought in a year and are still ranked number 2 despite being beltless and having no real wins to your name then what does that tell you about the IBFs rankings?

Alejandro Berrio is ranked 2 by the IBF!

And him and Bikas last fights were 6 days apart so... yeah. Why didnt Calzaghe fight him?

[AdamGB]

Please stop repeating yourself...

Maybe because berrio turned him down? who knows. I wouldn't be suprised considering 2 months is not a great deal of time to recover from your last fight and get rested and ready to go into a long camp to fight the man at super middle weight

Like I said Bika obviously wasn't as smart.

[Majesty]

After all this talk about Bika being limited, I never heard of him.

What if he puts a strong performance?

Does it show Joe isn't all that..or does it show Bika is better then we're giving him credit for? Or does it show both.

[Hulk]

Let me just say this, IF Bika beats Calzaghe somehow, I will laugh my ass off!

[Fenster]

That's exactly what I sam saying... he is staying active...

I will ask for the third time... who else should he have fought?

And please don't through about names like Kessler, or RJJ... they are not available.

no one of class is available... again I'm glad he is keeping active rather than doing nothing till a big fight comes off in 07.

Who said Bika had anything to do with getting a big fight? I said then chase a big fight..

Easy, Alejandro Berrio who just come off a wins against Syd Vanderpool and Yusef Macke on NATIONAL TV!!

He could have fought Robert Stieglitz who beat Alejandro Berrio FOR THE FREAKING IBF SPOT!!!! But nooo... he fights Bika

That answer your question of "Who else should he have fought?"

Warren and Stieglitz handlers applied for an extension to allow Calzaghe a voluntary defence cause German TV dates are tied up on October 14 with Kessler - Beyer.

Alejandro Berrio? Yeah everyone would of been happy for Joe to fight him. KO'd 4 times, once by a Carl Froch victim. That would of gone down really well

[Hacienda]

I heard that Froch was in the mix but was offered a paltry sum.

Froch is highly ranked by the WBC (No3).

Mick Hennessey deals extensively with the WBC, as the Witter / Corley fight in this country would testify to. Wheras Frank Warren does not deal with them.

Froch is a stand up guy and works on a handshake with Hennessey with no need for industrial-strength contracts.

Upon capturing the euro off Mger Mkertiyan he will be installed as the mandatory challenger to the WBC belt holder - whom will likely be Mikkel Kessler (if he takes it off Marcus Beyer on October 14th)

I predict a british title defence in November (Nottingham Arena) so he can keep the Lonsdale outright, before euro honours in 2007 - and if succesful - Mikkel Kessler - whom i believe Froch, given his height and power could potentially have a strong chance against.

[ICB]

god im sick of all these calzaghe haters give the guy a break there wasnt much opponents to choose from at this time and there saying calzaghe is getting big fights in 2007 if u read it on bbc so why cant u cut the guy some slack i think u guys expect too much its not hes fault not many opponents to choose from. calzaghes had like 19 title defences 41-0 id say wait untill 2007 before u start hating on him

[Hacienda]

Nobody is hating on Calzaghe - more dissapointed for him.

I know there are a STACK of fighters out there who would love to fight Joe but Franks 'negotiating' and purse offers to his opponents are very poor.

Froch, Andrade, Green - they would all love to fight Joe on the big stage for a cool million.

...But when the offer is £90K you think, is it worth it? no.

[superheavyrhun]

he just fought barely over 2 months ago,

Him and Bika's fights were 6 days apart So try again

Robert Stieglitz has been inactive for a year and neither of them is a step up in class worth talking about.

Let me see Alejandro Berrio is ranked number 2 by the IBF..where is Bika?

If he was fighting Alejandro Berrio....do you think that everybody here would not be saying the same thing as they are about Bika? he's got four losses on his record, and at least with Bika he's only got the one against Soliman. After thinking about it, not fighting Stieglitz suggests that Calzaghe is going to step up to light-heavy in his next fight, and we won't see him at SMW again. Frank has promised super-fights, and a mandatory against Stieglitz is not a super, so I think he'll vacate both titles after this and go for a massive fight against the winner of Woods v Johnson.

[JT Rock]

www.livefight.co.uk

Joe Calzaghe is set to make another defence of his exisitng WBO belt and the first defence of his newly aquired IBF belt against the lightly regarded Cameroon fighter, now based in Australia, Sakio Bika (21-2).

Bika who was the opponent of Marcus Beyer in May is a fairly limited fighter who was handed a technical draw after the doctor stopped the fight due to a severe cut on Marcus's face.

The bout which is taking place at the MEN on October the 14th will feature an undercard featuring the highly anticipated fight between Johnny Nelson and Enzo Maccarinelli which was postponed due to a cruciate ligament injury on the sheffield bomber during training.

Fans across both continents were waiting eagerly for Joe Calzaghe's next opponent with names such as Roy Jones Junior and Glencoffe Johnson being mentioned in the frame.

Upon release of Bika's name the fans have displayed there feelings across numerous boxing forums, stating their disapointment at the naming of the unheralded Bika. Bika, who has mainly fought at lower weights against other nameless fighters such as Japan's Yoshihiro Araki (twice) and the legendary Rico Chong Nee! has only campaigned a couple of times at 168 and has mostly fought at light-middle, has hardly got the fan's mouths watering.

Many are calling him a 'tomato can' opponent in the same vein as Evans Ashira (another blown up super middle) and is most certainly a step down in class since the previously unbeaten, top prospect in Jeff 'Left Hook' Lacy earlier this year.

It is ironic that the names being mentioned by Joe Calzaghe himself, such as Antonio Tarver have been offered to Left Hook Lacy since his defeat to the welshman adds further detriment to Calzaghe's opponent.

At least Ashira was not beaten up as easily as Lacy was and lets see if this Bika kid is not doing much better than Lacy did against Cal. Bika is definitely a step up in competition compared to Lacy.

[AdamGB]

Joe beat Jeff Lacy up with two arms.

He beat Evan's Ashira up with just his jab... Can you throw flurrys with one arm? Does Joe throw lots of Flurrys?

[shza]

The big problem, and the reason that this fight is happening and that there's really no good response to AdamGB's question, is that the SMW division is exceptionally weak, and has been for some time. JC and Kessler are really the ONLY top-level fighters in the division, and really, Kessler is still pretty unproven. This is why so many people (including me) still have questions about how good Joe really is too--I'm not hating the guy or saying he's no good--he might be great--but he's just never fought anyone great (though he's fought a couple who USED TO be great) and probably never will, because they're not there. (no, fighting a completely shot RJJ now wouldn't qualify either--Jermain Taylor or Bernard Hopkins are really the only fights that would prove something, and neither of those fights will happen (not Joe's fault))

[superheavyrhun]

The big problem, and the reason that this fight is happening and that there's really no good response to AdamGB's question, is that the SMW division is exceptionally weak, and has been for some time. JC and Kessler are really the ONLY top-level fighters in the division, and really, Kessler is still pretty unproven. This is why so many people (including me) still have questions about how good Joe really is too--I'm not hating the guy or saying he's no good--he might be great--but he's just never fought anyone great (though he's fought a couple who USE TO be great) and probably never will, because they're not there. (no, fighting a completely shot RJJ now wouldn't qualify either--Jermain Taylor or Bernard Hopkins are really the only fights that would prove something, and neither of those fights will happen (not Joe's fault))

Amen on your descripition of the SMW division, if there were more good fighters there who could compete with Joe, or those in the ring with him brought the most out of themselves, then he might be better respected. The only person who has ever really pushed him very close is Robin Reid, who was at his peak when he came close to Joe. The big question at SMW is how will/would Kessler fare in a matchup with Calzaghe, as it is pretty much a given that most of the rest would fall by the wayside. As for fighting Bernard Hopkins, I don't think it would silence the doubters as he is 42 now, and were he to lose to Calzaghe, many critics would say Hopkins was too old. Even beating Jermaine Taylor would still leave him open to critics, as they would have a go at him because he didn't bring all he had up with him to SMW from MW. In any case, the world is full of haters, and there is always someone to hate on.

CC by the way mate

[Purist]

he just fought barely over 2 months ago,

Him and Bika's fights were 6 days apart So try again

Robert Stieglitz has been inactive for a year and neither of them is a step up in class worth talking about.

Let me see Alejandro Berrio is ranked number 2 by the IBF..where is Bika?

If he was fighting Alejandro Berrio....do you think that everybody here would not be saying the same thing as they are about Bika?

No, because he just knocked out a very good prospect on National TV people are gonna remember his last fight.

Remember how many people thought that Maddalone would beat Minto in the rematch after watching the Shannon Miller fight?