From Deseret News archives:
BYU Football: Ex-Cougar Sikahema throttles Canseco in celebrity boxing event
Former BYU and Philadelphia Eagles running back/kick return specialist and current sportscaster Vai Sikahema knocked out controversial former baseball star and admitted steroids user Jose Canseco in the first round of a celebrity boxing match at Bernie Robbins Stadium on Saturday night.
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 at 1:37 of the first round. The crowd of approximately 1,250 fans 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."
"He's a very impressive-looking guy," Sikahema said. "But the guy is a walking corpse, because he's rotted inside out. He's a pathetic figure."
Sikahema donated $5,000 of his $25,000 purse to the family of Philadelphia police officer Stephen Liczbinski, who was shot and killed in May in the line of duty while responding to a bank robbery.
After the fight, Sikahema was asked if there were any surprises.
Canseco pointed toward Sikahema's corner during his introduction and made a throat-slashing gesture, which inflamed the crowd.
Sikahema was born in Tonga, a country comprised of many islands in the south Pacific Ocean. In his youth, he had some 80 amateur fights and 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 prefight dance, the "haka," that ended with them screaming at Canseco, who received $35,000.
As it turned out, the routine lasted longer than the fight.
Recent comments
$5000 out of $25000 donated to a fallen officer's widow? How about...
Charity Schmarity | July 18, 2008 at 10:43 a.m.
I'm proud of Vai for winning against a much bigger athlete, but I...
Rich | July 17, 2008 at 11:55 p.m.
I may not agreed with Canseco's reputation but to call him a...
Oh well..... | July 17, 2008 at 5:28 p.m.
- Ochoa earns LPGA's top player award 8:06 a.m.
- New dad: Focusing on shuttle easy 7:57 a.m.
- Holmgren return might be answer 7:52 a.m.
- 7 firefighters injured in Dallas 7:46 a.m.
- Ref thought of quitting over handball 7:45 a.m.
- Rebound slower than first thought 7:39 a.m.
- Philippines declares emergency 7:31 a.m.
- Stock futures point to mixed open 7:27 a.m.
- 200K animals sacrificed in Nepal 7:25 a.m.
- Home prices rise, 4th month in row 7:23 a.m.
- Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
- Bronco, Kyle rubber match
- BYU's Lamb, Jorgensen reprimanded
- Real Champions
- Time for big matchups in WAC, MWC
- Plenty on line for rivalry game
- Fans greet returning Real Salt Lake
- Inmate dead following prison fight
- RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
- Hall, Johnson matchup key
- Glenn Beck to enter politics?
215 - RSL wins MLS Cup on penalty kicks
197 - Palin plans tour stop in Utah
178 - Bronco, Kyle rubber match
133 - Palin's book shows she's unqualified
133 - BYU records with win
132 - Protests against Phoenix LDS temple
119 - BYU cuts Women's Research Inst.
103 - Officer cleared in Cardall Taser case
103 - Hall, Johnson matchup key
100
It's already established that Jazz coach Jerry Sloan is a big San...
I could tell BYU was ready to play Saturday afternoon even before the...
Utah coach Kyle Whittingham is giving his team some time off for...
I will enjoy which ever bowl they go to. I just love watching them play. They...
Contrary to what the members believe, Mormons are not very good neighbors.
is redeeming himself! We need to rethink our negativity.
a very one sided article. What about the BYU fan who jumped out of the...
An effort to beautify Utah Lake is long overdue. This large body of somewhat...
To "MANDATE | 5:18 a.m. " you are wrong. People elected Obama on platitudes....
Dude, she has shown us her shoe-sized IQ for almost 2 years already. She...
Great and fun to watch this team as it developes and does it thing. Play a...
Simply put: Wendover, Dugway, and Meridian could not beat region 16 and 20's...
HMMMM, I WONDER IF THEY KNOW SOMETHING WE DONT

