Former WBC super middleweight champion Sakio Bika wants to replace heavyweight legend Mike Tyson vs Jake Paul on July 20.
Bika has made the offer to the YouTuber following doubts over Tyson being cleared to fight at the age of 58. Tyson will undertake several tests to ensure he can compete against a wannabe boxer 31 years his junior this summer.
If it all falls apart, as it one hundred percent could, “The Scorpion” wants to welcome the ex-Disney child star to a real boxing match.
“At the moment, I am staying in shape and ready if the right offer comes my way,” Bika told World Boxing News exclusively. “I have reached the top of the sport, becoming a multiple-time world champion and winning the prestigious Contender series. I have nothing more to prove to anyone, but I would like to have one more big fight. If someone like Jake Paul or his brother would really like to test himself against a recent world champion, I am always ready to fight.
“Mike Tyson is an all-time great boxer; he was a hero of mine growing up, and even though he looks in great shape, he is almost 60 years of age! If Jake Paul is serious about fighting a former champion, look for someone a lot younger or active within the last decade. I can fight Jake Paul at any weight he wants.”
Asked what he makes of the current YouTuber situation in boxing, Bika replied: “It is both good and bad. It is bringing a lot more attention to the sport, but with most of the YouTubers either fighting each other or trying to entice long-retired greats out of retirement, it turns it into a joke.”
Bika has had one fight in the last seven years but always keeps himself in the best shape possible. In 2019, he was linked to fighting 55-year-old Nigel Benn and even signed a contract for a clash in England.
An injury to Benn scuppered the fight and saw Bika eventually return in 2021 to defeat Sam Soliman for a second time. The first meeting occurred at the Contender Series semi-finals, formerly hosted by Sylvester Stallone and Sugar Ray Leonard. Bika won Season 3 of the successful series and catapulted his career.
After previous IBO reigns, he eventually claimed the green and gold strap against Marco Periban. He’s certainly a recognizable name to United States fans and would stand a far better chance of putting the influencer in his place than Tyson.
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