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SAKIO BIKA RETAINS WBC TITLE AFTER BATTLING TO A DRAW

08/12/2013 - 17.12.38

 

 

Sakio Bika retains WBC title after battling to a draw

theage.com.au

Australia still has a universally recognised world champion but only just after Sakio Bika flirted with disaster before retaining his World Boxing Council super middleweight title in a wild bout in New York.

Anthony Dirrel punches Sakio Bika during their WBC super middleweight title fight in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City.

Anthony Dirrel punches Sakio Bika during their WBC super middleweight title fight in the Brooklyn Borough of New York City. Photo: AFP

A gutsy Bika (32-5-3, 21 KOs) went down in the fifth and was on the brink of getting disqualified in the last round, but fought out an eventful and exciting draw with American Anthony Dirrell (26-0-1, 22 KOs) at the Barclays Centre.

One judge had Bika ahead 114-112, another scored it 116-110 to Dirrell and the third had it 113-113.

Bika, 34, would have got the decision had he not been deducted a point in the 11th round.

''I was surprised, because it wasn't a low blow,'' Bika said.

''If it wasn't for the low blow I would have won the fight, but at the end of the day I'm still the world champion.''

Making his first defence, Bika trailed early, but dug deep in the second half of a bout which had the referee working overtime.

He warned both men for pushing in the first round, and also cautioned Bika for punching to the back of the head. He also spoke to Bika after he threw Dirrell down in the second and then told Bika to keep his punches up.

After the point deduction, the referee warned the champion in the early stages of the last he would disqualify him for one more infringement.

Despite the warning, Bika flirted with danger in the last two minutes, continuing to pound blows to Dirrell's body.

AAP
 

Sourcewww.theage.com.au/sport/boxing/sakio-bika-retains-wbc-title-after-battling-to-a-draw-20131208-2yzf6.html