Big time boxing fans were hopeing to see a very intriguing heavyweight rematch on Saturday night. But thanks to a broken thumb those hopes had to be put on hold. Instead what fans got was a solid yet undramatic super middleweight bout that saw Sakio Bika pitch a near shuout against Nikola Sjekloca.
The fight had a few exciting moments, specifically in the 4th round when Bika stunned Sjekloca with a big right hand and followed that up with a good combination. Sjekloca fought his way through and spent the rest of the fight as a punching bag for Bika. Almost every round was identical. Bika would walk down Sjekloca, get inside and unleash heavy shots to the body. Bika also did good work upstairs, but the majority of his punishment was inflicted to the body of Sjekloca.
Sjekloca came to fight and wanted to keep his undefeated record, but Bika was his first real step up in competition and it showed. He displayed heart and toughness by not giving up but was severely outclassed. Bika dominated easily but never had that big exciting moment that will make fans come back for more. Had he scored a knockdown, or better yet a knockout his future will definately would look brighter. Still, with that win he know becomes the madatory challenger for super middleweight champion Andre Ward, who Bika lost to in 2010. But due to Ward's shoulder injury keeping him out of the ring until the fall, Bika might look instead to fight Lucian Bute. That would be a rematch of their 2007 fight in which Bika lost via unanimous decision.
Bika has been a very good B+ fighter but whenver he takes the step up to the A class, he loses. So his career seems to be stuck in the mud. With his new trainer and refined skills who should be able to beat all of the other B+ fighters. But when he takes that small step up in class, the difference in skills really shines through. A fight with Bute would be entertaining but Bute probably gets the win again, it would just be more difficult this time. The fight with Ward probably never happens because fighting Bika would do nothing to help his career. The best bet for Bika at this point would be to either move up to light heavyweight, or move down to middleweight.
The fight had a few exciting moments, specifically in the 4th round when Bika stunned Sjekloca with a big right hand and followed that up with a good combination. Sjekloca fought his way through and spent the rest of the fight as a punching bag for Bika. Almost every round was identical. Bika would walk down Sjekloca, get inside and unleash heavy shots to the body. Bika also did good work upstairs, but the majority of his punishment was inflicted to the body of Sjekloca.
Sjekloca came to fight and wanted to keep his undefeated record, but Bika was his first real step up in competition and it showed. He displayed heart and toughness by not giving up but was severely outclassed. Bika dominated easily but never had that big exciting moment that will make fans come back for more. Had he scored a knockdown, or better yet a knockout his future will definately would look brighter. Still, with that win he know becomes the madatory challenger for super middleweight champion Andre Ward, who Bika lost to in 2010. But due to Ward's shoulder injury keeping him out of the ring until the fall, Bika might look instead to fight Lucian Bute. That would be a rematch of their 2007 fight in which Bika lost via unanimous decision.
Bika has been a very good B+ fighter but whenver he takes the step up to the A class, he loses. So his career seems to be stuck in the mud. With his new trainer and refined skills who should be able to beat all of the other B+ fighters. But when he takes that small step up in class, the difference in skills really shines through. A fight with Bute would be entertaining but Bute probably gets the win again, it would just be more difficult this time. The fight with Ward probably never happens because fighting Bika would do nothing to help his career. The best bet for Bika at this point would be to either move up to light heavyweight, or move down to middleweight.
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