For my fellow Iggles fans...
Jul. 14th, 2008 03:42 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
grayhawkfhSikahema KOs Canseco in 1st round
By MICHAEL McGARRY Staff Writer, 609-272-7185
ATLANTIC CITY - Size didn't matter at the "War at Shore" on Saturday night.
Former Philadelphia Eagle and current sportscaster Vai Sikahema knocked out the controversial former baseball star Jose Canseco in the first round of a celebrity boxing match at Bernie Robbins Stadium.
The 5-foot-9 Sikahema, 45, swarmed all over the 6-4 Canseco, 44, as soon as the opening bell sounded. He knocked Canseco down twice before the fight was stopped. The small crowd stood and roared the entire fight.
"When you step inside the square circle," Sikahema said, "don't ever think that your size is going to matter because in Philadelphia, we will chop you down."
The event, although a spectacle, was for a good cause.
Sikahema donated $5,000 of his purse to the family of Philadelphia police officer Stephen Liczbinski, who was shot and killed in May while responding to a bank robbery.
No attendance figures were available, but the 5,000-seat stadium was a quarter-full. The ring was set up at home plate.
Things were a bit disorganized. Before the fights began, the ring announcer asked for three women to volunteer as ring-card girls. Three stepped forward.
Those fans that did attend did so for a variety of reasons.
Many were fans of the legitimate boxers who fought on the undercard.
Others came because it was Saturday night and the match was a good place to start their evening festivities.
Steve Smutnik, 24, of Philadelphia got free tickets. He and his brother, Rich, who just turned 21, planned to hit the casinos afterward.
"I listen to 610 (Philadelphia sports radio station WIP) all the time," Smutnik said. "They were talking about it all the time. It sounded interesting. When someone offered me the tickets, I was like 'sure.' "
Sikahema and Canseco had their share of fans.
Anthony Romero, 30, of Vineland was firmly in Canseco's corner.
"I've been a fan of his since I was a kid," he said. "Since he played for the Oakland A's."
Fred Cuneo of Marlton has watched Vai Sikahema on television for years.
"I think he's a great guy, and this is for a good cause," the 60-year-old Cuneo said. "And it was a beautiful night to take a ride to Atlantic City."
The fight itself had the feel of a professional wrestling event. They were scheduled to fight three, two-minute rounds. Both wore head gear. Sikahema was bare-chested, Canseco was not.
WIP morning host Angelo Cataldi served as ring announcer.
Sikahema had more than 80 amateur fights. Canseco was billed as "baseball's bad boy," a reference to his steroid use. He claimed to have a martial arts back round.
The fans booed when Canseco entered the ring.
Canseco pointed toward Sikahema's corner during his introduction and made a throat-slashing gesture, which enflamed the crowd.
Sikahema was born in Tonga, a country comprised of many islands in the south Pacific Ocean. He lived up his nickname "The Tongan Terror" during his entrance.
Several bare-chested men dressed as Tonga natives led him to the ring. Two boys held torches.
One man then performed a fire dance in the center of the ring. The group then did an elaborate pre-fight dance that ended with them screaming at Canseco.
The routine lasted longer than the fight.
Sikahema had no problems reaching Canseco's chin. He immediately stunned the taller Canseco. The first knockdown came on a left hook.
The second knockdown came after a barrage of punches.
The crowd cheered Sikahema's every move. A few chanted "E-A-G-L-E-S."
As Canseco absorbed punches, a few in the crowd threw white T-shirts into the ring as a signal for Canseco to stop.
It wasn't Canseco's best moment.
Finally, the fight was stopped toward the end of the round.
"The only thing that surprised me was that it didn't end in the first 30 seconds," Sikahema said.
It ended quickly but nobody in the crowd appeared to be complaining. The small crowd got what they wanted.
A Canseco defeat.
By MICHAEL McGARRY Staff Writer, 609-272-7185
ATLANTIC CITY - Size didn't matter at the "War at Shore" on Saturday night.
Former Philadelphia Eagle and current sportscaster Vai Sikahema knocked out the controversial former baseball star Jose Canseco in the first round of a celebrity boxing match at Bernie Robbins Stadium.
The 5-foot-9 Sikahema, 45, swarmed all over the 6-4 Canseco, 44, as soon as the opening bell sounded. He knocked Canseco down twice before the fight was stopped. The small crowd stood and roared the entire fight.
"When you step inside the square circle," Sikahema said, "don't ever think that your size is going to matter because in Philadelphia, we will chop you down."
The event, although a spectacle, was for a good cause.
Sikahema donated $5,000 of his purse to the family of Philadelphia police officer Stephen Liczbinski, who was shot and killed in May while responding to a bank robbery.
No attendance figures were available, but the 5,000-seat stadium was a quarter-full. The ring was set up at home plate.
Things were a bit disorganized. Before the fights began, the ring announcer asked for three women to volunteer as ring-card girls. Three stepped forward.
Those fans that did attend did so for a variety of reasons.
Many were fans of the legitimate boxers who fought on the undercard.
Others came because it was Saturday night and the match was a good place to start their evening festivities.
Steve Smutnik, 24, of Philadelphia got free tickets. He and his brother, Rich, who just turned 21, planned to hit the casinos afterward.
"I listen to 610 (Philadelphia sports radio station WIP) all the time," Smutnik said. "They were talking about it all the time. It sounded interesting. When someone offered me the tickets, I was like 'sure.' "
Sikahema and Canseco had their share of fans.
Anthony Romero, 30, of Vineland was firmly in Canseco's corner.
"I've been a fan of his since I was a kid," he said. "Since he played for the Oakland A's."
Fred Cuneo of Marlton has watched Vai Sikahema on television for years.
"I think he's a great guy, and this is for a good cause," the 60-year-old Cuneo said. "And it was a beautiful night to take a ride to Atlantic City."
The fight itself had the feel of a professional wrestling event. They were scheduled to fight three, two-minute rounds. Both wore head gear. Sikahema was bare-chested, Canseco was not.
WIP morning host Angelo Cataldi served as ring announcer.
Sikahema had more than 80 amateur fights. Canseco was billed as "baseball's bad boy," a reference to his steroid use. He claimed to have a martial arts back round.
The fans booed when Canseco entered the ring.
Canseco pointed toward Sikahema's corner during his introduction and made a throat-slashing gesture, which enflamed the crowd.
Sikahema was born in Tonga, a country comprised of many islands in the south Pacific Ocean. He lived up his nickname "The Tongan Terror" during his entrance.
Several bare-chested men dressed as Tonga natives led him to the ring. Two boys held torches.
One man then performed a fire dance in the center of the ring. The group then did an elaborate pre-fight dance that ended with them screaming at Canseco.
The routine lasted longer than the fight.
Sikahema had no problems reaching Canseco's chin. He immediately stunned the taller Canseco. The first knockdown came on a left hook.
The second knockdown came after a barrage of punches.
The crowd cheered Sikahema's every move. A few chanted "E-A-G-L-E-S."
As Canseco absorbed punches, a few in the crowd threw white T-shirts into the ring as a signal for Canseco to stop.
It wasn't Canseco's best moment.
Finally, the fight was stopped toward the end of the round.
"The only thing that surprised me was that it didn't end in the first 30 seconds," Sikahema said.
It ended quickly but nobody in the crowd appeared to be complaining. The small crowd got what they wanted.
A Canseco defeat.
