I posted 25 photos from last night’s Andre Ward vs. Sakio Bika Showtime boxing event. There’s a couple of photos of former US Olympian Javier Molina who won a four round decision last night as well.

You can see the photos on our Facebook Page.

While you’re there, click that like button and follow us if you’re a Facebook member. Links to all of our articles show up there as well as photos to events that we attend including last year’s WrestleMania, and other Strikeforce and UFC events.

In a fight right before the main event, Andre Berto knocked out Freddy Hernandez with strong right hand in the first round. Hernandez got up wobbly and the referee didn’t give him a chance to continue.

He talked about wanting to fight Manny Pacquiao which would be the biggest money fight of his career, but he hasn’t fought anyone even close to Pacquiao’s stature and it’d be a mistake when it comes to the longevity of his career. It’s the best chance for him to make money now, but he’s really talented enough to be one of the guys who exists when Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao retire. He’s ready for someone like Shane Mosley. But I don’t think he’s near ready for Manny.

Michael Katsidis vs. Juan Manuel Marquez

R1
Both guys look sharp, but Marquez looks just a tad bit sharper. Katsidis looks a bit slow with his shots where as Marquez looks like he’s just punching in a pattern, exactly how he planned.

R2
Katsidis decided to stalk Marquez a bit, but he’s opened himself to huge counter shots. He can see them coming, but he can’t do anything to stop them, other than try to punch on his own, but at this point, he’s being outlanded 3-1. Marquez is chopping him down already.

R3
What an amazing round. Katsidis knocked Marquez on his ass with a huge left hook which came from him ducking under a right hand. Katsidis tried to keep the pressure on and Marquez didn’t hold on. He smartly defended himself, though took more punches. Near the end of the round, he had it back in his favor, but Katsidis probably gets the 10-8 for the knockdown.

R4
Katsidis’ face by the end of this thing is going to be puffy as hell. He’s not blocking any of Marquez’s shots. Marquez is staying in the pocket with him and just picking him apart. Katsidis is game though and this is why he’s such an exciting fighter.
Continue Reading »

CEO of Rap-A-Lot Records J. Prince is at the press conference as he has a business relationship with Andre Ward.

Dan Goossen

They will explore Ward’s fight with Arthur Abraham to be held in Vegas. Andre wants to fight in Vegas.

Dan Goossen thinks it could happen in March, but that’s also based on how Ward feels.

Thought there was a lot of risk and very little reward for this fight with Bika.

They won’t go to Europe to fight Abraham.

He thinks Froch beats Glen Johnson.

Andre Ward

He wants to be a great fighter and needs to learn how to deal with every style. That’s why they fought Bika.

Felt that some of the head butts were intentional. Felt the referee missed a couple calls. Thinks all of his cuts were because of head butts and elbows.

Showtime Executive Chris DeBlasio

Glen Johnson wins the tie breaker over Arthur Abraham because of judges’ scorecards.

Ward

This fight was the perfect warm to prepare for Arthur Abraham.

Bika was tired, but he put his head down and would swing so you had to be alert at all times.

He still thinks he’s a work in progress.

All Bika can do is rough house and throw wild shots, and that’s what makes him tough.

Bika never hurt him. Ward felt like he was the stronger man inside the ring.

He can box, but he likes to be aggressive. He could’ve made it easier if he stayed away, but it’s in him to stay aggressive.

Surprised that Froch dominated Abraham so easily.

He thinks the lack of KOs are because he hasn’t had a lot of fights and he’s fighting really experienced guys. And you have to let his career evolve the way he has to evolve. Doesn’t want to force the knockouts.

Sakio Bika

Thinks Ward is a warrior and is a tougher fighter than Lucian Bute.

Ronnie Shields – Bika’s trainer

Sakio did the best he could. Tried to fight inside and Ward is tough and just a little bit better on this night.

It’s now time for the main event. I wrote about the undercard in another post which included former US Olympian Javier Molina.

The showing so far hasn’t been good at the Oracle Arena in Oakland. If there are 6,000 people in here, I’d be surprised. They have the entire upper deck tarped off and half of the sections are less than 50% full.

Bika has the reach advantage, but Ward has two inches in height on him.

Sakio Bika vs. Andre Ward

R1
Ward wasn’t very active in round as he was definitely feeling out Bika’s power. Bika was throwing some big shots, but most of them were catching Ward’s arms. Ward’s left hook which stung Bika was the best shot of the round. Both guys are throwing hard.

R2
It was more of a wrestling match than a boxing match in that round. The referee let them get away with a lot of inside fighting. Both guys were pushing each other and holding on the inside. Bika is wasting some energy swinging hard, but Ward is a strong on the inside, both in defending himself and holding his position as Bika is swinging hard on the inside. There may be a head butt happening in this fight. They’re close.

R3
All this rough fighting would seem to be to Bika’s advantage, but as Ward showed with the Kessler fight, he can do some damage on the inside if you let him. He threw a great left hook that wobbled Bika and it’s the best shot of the fight so far. I have Ward up 3-0, but that second round was closer because there wasn’t much going on beyond the wrestling and holding.

R4
Ward is starting to land a short left hook that looks to be taking the life out of Bika. One dropped him, but the referee called it a slip. Another just stood him up and Bika is not the same guy as he was in the first round. All Ward.

On replay, it did look like a slip and was called correctly.
Continue Reading »

There were two undercard bouts already, but they’re doing them out of order, so I only know the winner of the second fight. Khadaphi Proctor knocked down Stan Martyniouk several times en route to a six round decision victory. Martyniouk was undefeated up to this point.

Demetrius Davis vs. Cornelius White

Davis has a horrendous record of 20-24-5 while White is 15-0 with 14 KOs.

Davis is throwing really wide punches which have no chance of landing. He was knocked down very early in the round but kept swinging. White stood right in front of him and was just trying to get him out of there. It was the kind of fight you’d expect to see between an older brother and a younger brother with Davis turning his head and running right into the ropes. It was comical to say the least. At one point, Davis started to wind up like he was going to throw a bolo punch, but at that point, the crowd laughed because the fight was close to being stopped. He survived the round, but it was a laugher and the referee didn’t let Davis out of the corner.

Winner: Cornelius White by way of 1st round TKO

Jonathan Alcantara vs. Michael Ruiz Jr.

Ruiz Jr. is undefeated at 6-9. They are super featherweights.

R1
Alcantara was much more active, though Ruiz’s defense was good in that he didn’t really get hit. Both guys are quicker than a hiccup. Probably have to give Alcantara the round simply because of being more active.

R2
Alcantara again threw a ton of punches, but Ruiz stayed low and was hit on his arms mostly. As he’d stay low, he’d come up from his crouch and land short right hooks. He landed the best punch of the round from that position. I’d give him the round as well.

R3
Really close round. Ruiz Jr. picked up his pace a bit and is fighting a less defensive fight. Alcantara is quick Ruiz Jr. can’t really get more than one clean shot in. He’s pretty elusive.

R4
Ruiz Jr. is trying to set up his left hand, but in order to set it up, Alcantara is getting off several punches before him, though not landing many. They had a spirited exchange early in the round. Ruiz Jr. is really trying to throw the straight left and let a few go. His round and I have it tied.

R5
Another close round, but I’m not sure that Alcantara is actually hitting Ruiz Jr. even though he is throwing more punches. Though, Ruiz Jr. can’t really get off more than one shot at a time. That’s a tough round to score.

R6
Ruiz Jr. has saved his best for last. He’s trying to win the fight while Alcantara is having a hard time keeping him off. Near the middle of the round, Ruiz Jr. looked to be a little tired and Alcantara started to pick up the pace a bit, but he’s still not really landing solid blows. Ruiz Jr. landed the best shots of the round.

Winner: Split draw

The scores were 58-56 Alcantara, 58-56 Ruiz, and 57-57. Once the ring announcer read the two splits, I knew it was a draw. I’d have scored it for Ruiz Jr.

Francisco Rios-Gill vs. Javier Molina
Continue Reading »

Carl Froch easily outpointed Arthur Abraham in their stage three bout in the Super Six World Boxing Classic. It’s Abraham’s second loss in a row in the tournament and even though he scored a knockout win in his first bout, he now sits in fourth place in the tournament by ranking.

Our own Duan Greeley had this to say about the fight:

Close to a shut out. Absolutely outclassed him.

According to Dan Rafael, the judges scored the fight in a near shutout for Froch. Two judges had it 120-108 and one judge had it 119-109.

Tonight’s other fight with Andre Ward defending his title against Sakio Bika has no bearing on the Super Six as it’s not a Super Six fight. Ward is already in the semi-finals based on his two victories and TKO of Mikkel Kessler.

The semi-finals are set-up as so:

1. Andre Ward vs. 4. Arthur Abraham

2. Carl Froch vs. 3. Glen Taylor

We’ll have live play by play of Andre Ward vs. Sakio Bika from Oakland, California in just a little while.