Sakio Bika confident of defending title against Dirrell

Sakio Bika wants to put an end to Australia’s run of world-title woes when he again puts his WBC super-middleweight belt on the line against the unbeaten Anthony Dirrell.

World-title losses by Daniel Geale, Alex Lepai, Blake Caparello and Jarrod Fletcher in recent months have led to Australian boxing slipping up on the biggest stage.

Bika will get a chance to show his worth in a fiery rematch against American Dirrell in California on Sunday.

The two were involved in a heated draw last December in what was Bika’s first title defence since capturing the belt in June last year. Bika overcame being downed in the fifth round and was deducted a point for repeated infringements to hold on for a draw.

The 35-year-old Cameroon-born fighter from Kogarah said he was ready to take it to Dirrell.

“I’m all prepared,” Bika said. “The training camp was very good. [Dirrell] won’t need to run away or complain about body shots. I don’t need to talk too much. My fists can talk in the ring. I’m prepared and if [Dirrell] has the balls, we’ll see.”

Bika has 32 wins, five losses and three draws (22 wins by knockout), while the last bout draw was Dirrell’s first non-win from 27 fights that include 22 knockouts.

Bika with sparred Caparello – who lasted two rounds in his WBO light-heavyweight title shot with Sergey Kovalev earlier this month – and a host of other Australians to prepare.

His Sydney trainer Mick Akkaway said Bika was more focused than the last time he met Dirrell.

“He is expecting Dirrell to come harder, so he has trained harder,” Akkaway said. “He put the pressure on Dirrell in the first fight and saw him crumble. He’ll need to break him down and come home strong.

“He knows if he puts the heat on, he’ll crumble.”

A win for Bika will set him up for his dream fight against IBF and WBA super-middleweight champion Carl Froch in a bid to unify the titles. Froch had an impressive eighth-round knockout title defence victory against Georges Groves for the second time in May.

“That rematch has motivated Sakio,” Akkaway said. “He wants to be in the ring with Froch. Sakio will keep his left hand a little higher this fight. He has worked hard and added more strength.

“He is much more confident, focused and determined to have a good victory compared to the first fight. We’ve struggled in overseas fights as Australians lately, hopefully Sakio can turn it around.”

The Bika-Dirrell bout is the co-main event with two other world-title fights on the card.

Shawn Porter faces Kell Brook for the IBF welterweight title, while Omar Figueroa jnr and David Estrada will fight for the WBC lightweight title.