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| Version 2 | Version 3 |
|---|---|
| Calzaghe wins after Bika battle | Calzaghe wins after Bika battle |
| (10 minutes 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. | Calzaghe has now made 19 successful defences - six short of heavyweight legend Joe Louis' all-time record. |
| But Calzaghe, undefeated in 42 bouts, will not forget Bika in a hurry after a hard night in Manchester. | But Calzaghe, undefeated in 42 bouts, will not forget Bika in a hurry after a hard night in Manchester. |
| Interview: Boxing promoter Frank Warren | Interview: Boxing promoter Frank Warren |
| 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. | 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. |
| 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 | |
| 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." |
| Calzaghe's promoter, Frank Warren, said: "I am upset with him, especially when he was showboating and dropping his hands - I don't like that. | |
| "Joe is a tremendous boxer but he was hampered by that cut. One thing you can't doubt with Joe Calzaghe is he has a fighter's hearts." | |
| Warren is planning to line up a major fight for Calzaghe next spring, with WBA and WBC champion Dane Mikkel Kessler a possible opponent. | |
| "We are going for big fight in February, early March, that is a definite," said Warren. |