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| Version 0 | Version 1 |
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| Calzaghe wins after Bika battle | Calzaghe wins after Bika battle |
| (about 7 hours later) | |
| Joe Calzaghe retained his WBO and IBF super middleweight belts with a unanimous points win over Sakio Bika. | Joe Calzaghe retained his WBO and IBF super middleweight belts with a unanimous points win over Sakio Bika. |
| But the 34-year-old Welshman was given a thorough working over by the unheralded Cameroonian fighter in a scrappy and brutal encounter. | But the 34-year-old Welshman was given a thorough working over by the unheralded Cameroonian fighter in a scrappy and brutal encounter. |
| Calzaghe has now made 19 successful defences - six short of heavyweight legend Joe Louis' all-time record. | |
| But Calzaghem undefeated in 42 bouts, will not forget Bika in a hurry after a hard night in Manchester. | |
| The Welsh star impressed the judges enough to claim a 117-110 (twice), 116-111 verdict but he had to cope with a badly-cut left eye from the fourth round onwards after a head-butt. | |
| I'm disappointed with the performance but a win is a win Joe Calzaghe Bika's raw but muscular approach paid plenty of dividends as he continually knocked Calzaghe out of his usually elegant stride. | I'm disappointed with the performance but a win is a win Joe Calzaghe Bika's raw but muscular approach paid plenty of dividends as he continually knocked Calzaghe out of his usually elegant stride. |
| So dominant against the previously unbeaten Jeff Lacy seven months ago, Calzaghe was made to look a little ragged at times by the aggressive Bika, who was docked a point in the fifth for using his head illegally. | So dominant against the previously unbeaten Jeff Lacy seven months ago, Calzaghe was made to look a little ragged at times by the aggressive Bika, who was docked a point in the fifth for using his head illegally. |
| Calzaghe was frequently pushed back by his opponent's powerful right, had blood pouring down his face from his cut eye and was winded by a low blow in a wild final round. | Calzaghe was frequently pushed back by his opponent's powerful right, had blood pouring down his face from his cut eye and was winded by a low blow in a wild final round. |
| But by then he had seen plenty of that kind of thing from the 27-year-old Bika, who had given WBC champion Markus Beyer plenty of problems before another butt forced a technical draw in their bout in Germany in May. | But by then he had seen plenty of that kind of thing from the 27-year-old Bika, who had given WBC champion Markus Beyer plenty of problems before another butt forced a technical draw in their bout in Germany in May. |
| That performance alone suggested Bika - who arrived with a record of 20 wins and one defeat from his 23 fights - would give Calzaghe plenty to think about. | That performance alone suggested Bika - who arrived with a record of 20 wins and one defeat from his 23 fights - would give Calzaghe plenty to think about. |
| The Welshman's superb win over Lacy has attracted American acclaim and the bout was beamed back to the United States. | The Welshman's superb win over Lacy has attracted American acclaim and the bout was beamed back to the United States. |
| "I went into the fight with no real sparring so it was a bit of a gamble," said a relieved Calzaghe afterwards. | "I went into the fight with no real sparring so it was a bit of a gamble," said a relieved Calzaghe afterwards. |
| "I'm disappointed with the performance but a win is a win. I wanted to put on a spectacle. I was too keen to impress and was looking for an early knockout." | "I'm disappointed with the performance but a win is a win. I wanted to put on a spectacle. I was too keen to impress and was looking for an early knockout." |