By Camille Sylvain Thompson
October 2, 2007 Los Angeles, California (Contender Arena)–
The last two first round fights were decided in the fifth episode of this season’s Contender with the Blue team using their power of choice to position them in a 2-2 tie, with the seemingly unstoppable Gold Team.
One of the only negatives of this season is part of its new format of showing less training before the fight, and more of the dynamics of the living quarters, family time and the fight itself; thus making it somewhat difficult to predict who will be the superior fighter. With McCrary, we have seen a little here and there, but in episode 5 a brief training session with Gold Team leader, Sam Soliman, who had previously defeated Bika via a 12-round decision, urged his teammate to use his strength and agility to defeat the African. It was a sloppy 1st round start, with punches that were wild, but those that landed were fierce; as both gladiators were swinging from the heels with each shot. As Sugar Ray Leonard rightfully told former Contender champion, Sergio Mora during the early rounds, “every punch is a knockout punch.” Mora agreeably added, “this fight will definitely end with a knockout.” Bika soon discovered after landing several power combinations that McCrary would not go down easily. The Missouri fighter’s chin was stronger than his physical appearance and his will to survive and more importantly to win was stronger yet. The second round brought much of the same, with Donny mistakenly retreating when Sakio would throw, leaving McCrary’s head on a stake for Bika to massacre. Trainer Buddy McGirt screams for McCrary to move inside, however, when he did finally cut the distance Bika repeatedly tagged his opponent with hard wicked shots. After losing the last two rounds McCrary’s determination seemed to take charge, and much like a hybrid car, he switched from fuel to electricity and was running on shear willpower. With more action from both corners, McCrary’s momentum was suddenly stifled by a cut that was determined by the referee to be from several of Bika’s powerful uppercuts. Although McCrary’s head and neck shifted from one side of the ring to the other, there wasn’t so much as a clinch or rope hug to indicate him falling to Bika’s strength. McCrary avenged his losses in the fourth with a stinging overhand right that puts Sakio on the run. One could actually see a hint of fear in the eyes of the fighter whose muscles are so ample even his brow line looked strong. However, Bika regained his focus and began landing short and tight combinations that only motivated McCrary to keep swinging, even if it costs him several more powerful blows to the head. At the sound of the fifth round bell, two tired but still determined fighters touched gloves. McCrary was well aware following his cornermen’s lecture that he had to score a knockout if he was going to exit as a winner. Both boxers came out swinging to open the final round. The clinching was far more frequent, but both fighters still had some snap in the shots. Bika flurried early and landed damaging blows, however, McCrary returned fire only to be pushed back by a series of hammering combinations the African. The referee begin to demand that McCrary ‘show him something’, or he would stop the fight. Determined to leave the ring on his feet, McCrary managed to throw an occasional jab to finish out the round. The bell sounded and the verdict went to the judges’ scorecards with Sakio Bika nailing down the victory by a commanding margin 49-46, 50-45, and 50-45. With the win, the native of Cameroon is now in second place. The Gold Team leader, Sam Soliman lifted McCrary on his shoulders and raised both gloves to the supportive crowd, who in tern, gave McCrary a standing ovation for his incredible heart and dogged effort. A surprising champion was crowned in the end, and though his win was deserved, it wasn’t Sakio. Following the fight, and still in the ring, Sugar Ray and Bika were both in awe over McCrary’s heart and chin. His courage was reminiscent of another fighter, who always fought with heart, the “Bronx Bull” Jake LaMotta. He could proudly say “Ray,” or in this case, Sakio, “you never knocked me down.” And although the fight was only 5 rounds, with no mercy or give from either fighter, it was truly 5 rounds of knockout fighting, with physical strength in the end, dominating over Will in the ring, but Will triumphing in the hearts of the fans. Stay tuned for next week when long time rivals (since episode 1) Paul Smith and David Banks, duke it out for the last spot in the tournament Source: www.boxingtimes.com
Camille Sylvain Thompson 28-year old Cameroon, Africa-native, Sakio Bika (23-2-2, 14 KO’s), who now fights by way of Sydney Australia, following his Olympic success in the 2000 Olympics; scored a unanimous decision over 24 year-old St. Joseph, Missouri boxer, Donny McCrary (23-5-2, 13 KO’s), who in the fifth round withstood a flurry of power punches from Bika.
