On this day in 2006: Calzaghe outpoints Bika to keep three world titles
The Welshman beat a future WBC champion over 12 rounds at the MEN Arena in Manchester to stay unbeaten.
Joe Calzaghe kept his IBF, WBO and The Ring super-middleweight titles 20 years ago today, beating Sakio Bika by unanimous decision over 12 rounds at the MEN Arena in Manchester on 14 October 2006.
The win kept Calzaghe's professional record unbeaten. Bika, a contender at the time, later became WBC super-middleweight champion in his own right, so the Manchester night was a title defence against a man who would go on to hold a world belt himself.
Calzaghe, born on 23 March 1972, boxed professionally from 1993 to 2008. He won world titles in two weight classes, holding unified and lineal championships at super-middleweight as well as the Ring magazine light-heavyweight title.
Calzaghe's 2001 fight with McIntyre, an earlier chapter of his super-middleweight reign, featured in a previous On this day piece on Combat Sports UK.
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Reported by the Combat Sports UK desk. Times are UK and Irish time, and we update the report when the facts change. How we work.