‘Been there’ Bika in no mood to give up belt

AUSTRALIAN boxer Sakio Bika can’t see how unbeaten American Anthony Dirrell can take away his hardearned WBC super middleweight title and is committed to forcing his challenger on to the back foot.

Today, Bika returns to New York’s Barclays Center to make the first defence of the title he won there earlier this year.

Neither Dirrell or Bika have had a straightforward path to boxing success.

The 34- year- old Sydneybased Bika (32, 5, 2 21KOs), had to wait nearly 13 years and 39 fights to win a world title and Dirrell has had to overcome a battle with cancer and also a serious motorcycle accident.

The 29-year-old American (26-0, 22KOs) has never had to go beyond eight rounds, whereas the Cameroon-born Bika has gone the 12 round distance on eight occasions.

‘‘He has no chance of taking my belt, because I’ve been there before,’’ Bika said.