Potential Froch unification looms for Bika

 
THE stakes may have been dramatically raised for Australian Sakio Bika ahead of his world title defence against American Anthony Dirrell this weekend, with a world title unification bout against Englishman Carl Froch closer than ever to becoming a reality.

 
Leading English promoter Eddie Hearn has confirmed that he and his client Froch are “genuinely considering” the Bika fight now that a mooted bout with Mexican Julio Cesar Chavez Junior has fallen through.

 
“The Chavez fight is dead. We don’t really know why. We seemed to have it all in place,” said Hearn, who is California with Englishman Kell Brook, who fights for Shawn Porter’s world title this weekend.

 
“I texted Froch last night, to say ‘what about Bika?’ It would be a cracking fight. I’d like to watch it. So you can say it is something we are genuinely considering.”

 
Bika holds the WBC Super Middleweight belt, while Froch has the IBF and WBA (Super) versions. All three belts came together at Wembley Stadium earlier this year when the Australian ‘called out’ Froch following his win over George Groves.

 
That night Froch expressed his desire for a big fight in Las Vegas before he retires, and with the apparent collapse of the Chavez bout a unification fight with Bika could be his most attractive prospect.

 
“It’s not really about money for him now. He made a lot of money out of the Groves event.” says Hearn.

 
“He’s off doing a reality TV show at the moment and obviously we’re looking at the options for him to do what he wants to do but it is not just money at all. So if Bika can hang onto that green belt then we’ll see what happens.”

 
With just three more sleeps until he faces Dirrell, Bika’s focus is firmly on the American, but it is abundantly clear that the Froch bout is the one he truly wants.

 
With the trip to London Bika attempted to secure that fight instead of the rematch with Dirrell, while he also called out Chavez, and now that this huge event is a realistic goal Bika intends to play his part in making it a reality.

 
“I went to London and put my belt with his belts and said ‘let’s see who is the king of the division’. He wouldn’t do it, and maybe it’s because he’s scared! Maybe it’s because he is a pussy cat! I want to fight Carl Froch. I want to unify the belts. And once I finish with Dirrell again, hopefully we can do that,” says Bika.

 
“I have had a very good training camp this time around and I am feeling very good. I know I won the fight the first time with Dirrell but this time I will make it even clearer. If I knock him out, good. If not, I will beat him clearly. I can’t wait for the fight, and then once it’s done hopefully we can see who the real champion is.”

 
 
Words: Ben Damon
Photo: The Guardian/Getty Images