Bombs awaaaaay! Sakio Bika and Jaidon Codrington traded a barrage of haymakers round after round until one man was left standing in tonight's Contender finale live from the TD Banknorth Garden in Boston, MA. It was by far the best fight ever over the three Contender seasons and is a legitimate fight of the year candidate, especially for those who love an all out brawl.

The slugfest started from the opening bell as former super middleweight championship contender Bika (24-3-2 prior to tonight) caught Codrington (an 18-1 up-and-comer) off guard, backing him up with a flurry until he landed a wide, looping right hand that slipped Codrington's guard and dropped him backward into the ropes and to the canvas. Before a count could begin, Codrington jumped to his feet and received his mandatory 8 count. Immediately following, Bika smothered him, giving him nary a chance to catch his breath. Pushing his opponent into the ropes Bika unloaded with a barrage of power punches keeping his upstart challenger on wobbly legs. Codrington held his ground however, and just when all seemed lost, retaliated with a perfect straight left that left Bika in a heap. Rising to his feet but clearly working on wobbly legs the final minute, Bika flurried and held on as Codrington fired away with pure power punching snatching a victorious round from the jaws of certain defeat.

The next six rounds were Micky Ward/Arturo Gatti revisited as the strong willed pugilists traded non-stop power shots throughout. Both combatants held their ground and had each other hurt on numerous occassions. However, it was Bika's greater punch output that kept him winning rounds and the accumulation of blows to Codrington's head that finally broke the 23 year old's spirit in the decisive eighth round.

In the eighth, Bika hurt Codrington once again with massive head shots backing him to the ropes. Codrington, with his hands up guarding his face, tried to fire back with his faster hand speed but Bika's relentless assault proved too much. Forced into the corner Codrington stumbled around, bounced off the ropes from a series of crushing Bika hooks, and finally turned his back on his opponent stumbling away from Bika as referee Dick Flaherty waved the fight.

The match was a stunning combination of heart, determination, and a pair of big super middleweights throwing bombs for eight consecutive rounds. Fans of defense would not be impressed but for those who appreciate two warriors laying it all on the line Bika/Codrington was unquestionably as good as it gets. Drama, perseverance, and excitment, this fight had it all and was a tribute to two tough as nails fighters who deserve all the kudos in the world. This was a classic boxing match, no doubt about it.

For those who claim boxing is dead and The UFC is the future, it is definitely time to reconsider. The last few months of boxing have been phenomenal. Between the recent batch of title fights, the much improved third season of The Contender, and the pay-per-view extravaganzas on deck for the next couple months this is the best time for boxing in ages. If you haven't caught the fever yet, now is as good a time as ever.

My Scoring of the Fight Up To The Stoppage: