SAKIO BIKA

updated February 20, 2007

Super-middleweight title challenger Sakio Bika will fight in memory of Steve "The Crocodile Hunter" Irwin when he tackles Joe Calzaghe October 14th, 2006.

And the Australia-based boxer has promised to get his jaws into the Welshman's unbeaten run at the M.E.N Arena.

Irwin tragically died recently after being stung by a stingray, leaving his fellow Australians in mourning.

But Bika, who has studied tapes of Joe's last 19 fights, has vowed to cheer up his adopted country by snatching Calzaghe's WBO and IBF super-middleweight crowns.

The 27-year-old has lost just once in 23 fights, and that was four years ago against classy Sam Soliman - and his team say he was robbed against his fellow Aussie.

In his last outing he was winning against WBC champ Markus Beyer in Germany before the fight was stopped on a cut in the fourth round and a technical draw was declared.

Had it lasted just a few more minutes and gone into the fifth, Bika would be coming to the UK as a WBC champion.

That strong display against the German has given Bika, born in Douala but now fighting out of Sydney, plenty of confidence before his challenge for Calzaghe's IBF and WBO crowns.

"I would have beaten Beyer," said Bika. "He was good but I was better, and it was only the cut that saved him.

"Joe Calzaghe is the best super-middleweight in the world, but I want to be the best and I know I can beat him. The Beyer fight has given me confidence and there will be an upset on October 14.

"My training is going very well, I have prepared for this fight very good."

And manager Angelo Hyder insists that Calzage will have to be better than when he beat Jeff Lacy in March to get past Bika.

"Sakio is an absolute bloody animal in the ring," said Hyder.

"Not many fighters today will go into the ring and put their life on the line but he will. He doesn't take a backward step.

"I've loved Joe Calzaghe for a very long time and I don't think he gets the recognition he deserves.

"But he is going to have to be even better than when he beat Lacy when I put this mad animal from Down Under into the ring with him, let me tell you that."

In fact Hyder, who signed up Bika following an unsuccessful display in the Sydney Olympics, has nothing but praise for his big prospect.

He claims former WBC title challenger Danny Green refuses to spar with him, and reckons Bika would knock out Jason Delisle in three rounds and IBF light-heavyweight champion Clinton Woods in five.

"When you have a fighter like Sakio who you really believe in and you know he can fight, you want him to fight the Joe Calzaghes and the Markus Beyers, you want him to fight the best," explained Hyder.

"Amateur boxing didn't suit him because it's like fencing with gloves on. That's not what this bloke is all about.

"We begged Frank Warren for this fight. Frank has got his balls on the line. He's putting his boy Joe Calzaghe in with a dangerous fighter. I admire him. If Joe Calzaghe is going to get bowled over, this bloke is going to do it.

"He had Beyer in deep trouble, he was doing everything to survive.

"It was a bad cut to Beyer but it was under the eye and the fight should have carried on.

"Sakio is rough and he's tough, a bit like the John "The Beast" Mugabi.

"He throws punches from every angle, every punch is designed to knock you out, and he does it as a boxer.

"He comes to hurt and comes to fight. He's not pretty but he's effective. If Joe Calzaghe gives him one then he's going to have to take one back, I can tell you that now."