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NBC 10's own Vai Sikahema gained national recognition when he knocked out former Major League Baseball player Jose Canseco during the "War at the Shore" celebrity boxing match in July.
Orignially Posted: July 13,2008
NBC 10's Vai Sikahema took down Jose Canseco in a one-sided battle during the War At The Shore on Saturday night.
Despite Canseco's size advantage, Sikahema knocked out the former baseball star in the first round at Bernie Robbins Stadium in Atlantic City.
"He came out here in first-class, (and is) flying home coach. That's how we roll in Philly," Sikahema said.
After the bout, Canseco said he underestimated Sikahema, who had been training for weeks.
Sikahema said he knows what it takes to get in the ring.
"It doesn't matter how big you are. You can come in here with a salon tan and bleached teeth and all that, and it doesn't matter," he said. "If you don't respect the game, come in here and train for it like a warrior, you're going to get chopped down."
But Canseco said he'd like another shot against Sikahema in the boxing ring.
"I'll take him again," he said. "Give me a few months."
Canseco said he didn't train for Saturday's fight, but wouldn't make that mistake again.
"I have to train first," he said. "The rematch ain't going to be in a month."
But Sikahema wasn't receptive to the idea.
"Who's going to buy tickets to a rematch?" he said. "I knocked him out in one round. Do you think people are going to spend money to come see him get knocked out in a minute or round two?"
Sikahema said Canseco had his chance to train like a warrior and didn't do it.
"You've got to respect this game," he said. "You've got to respect the people that trained for it and know it, and I know this game. I know what it takes to get to get in there in the ring."
Sikahema donated his entire $5,000 purse to the family of a Philadelphia police who was killed in the line of duty. Sikahema said he told Sgt. Stephen Liczbinski's wife before the match that it would give him an edge over Canseco.
"I said, 'Michelle, here's the difference. He's fighting for money, and I'm fighting for a cause, and that's going to win out every time,'" he said.
Liczbinski was shot and killed while chasing a robbery suspect in May.
Editors Note: Unfortunately, because of last minute legal issues NBC10.com was unable to livestream the fight. We apologize for any inconvenience.
