SAKIO Bika has known Tim Tszyu since he was a baby.
Four years ago the former Olympian and world champion had the son of "good friend" Kostya on his undercard at The Star in Sydney.
Wednesday night at Newcastle Entertainment Centre sees the tables turned with Bika part of the earlier program for Tszyu junior, who takes on Dennis Hogan in the main event.
"I met Kostya Tszyu and Kostya was a good friend," Bika told the Newcastle Herald.
"I knew Tim when he was a baby and I saw Tim grow up. Tim fought on my undercard for Star City and now I'm fighting for the Tim Tszyu undercard."
Bika, aged 41 and based at Eleebana, weighed in at Civic Theatre on Tuesday with 74.48 kilograms which was a touch heavier than upcoming opponent Sam Soliman (74.28kg), also an international No.1 previously.
This Bika v Soliman bout will be their third, but the first at catchweight (75kg) with each boxer meeting in between their traditional divisions.
Prior fights are split one apiece, Soliman in Melbourne in 2002 and Bika on US television series The Contender in 2007, but going the way of the competitor in their usual category.
"He's a natural super middleweight and I'm a natural middleweight," Soliman, 47, said while in Newcastle this week.
"And when I fought in the middle he had to come down which was tough for him. And then I fought him at super middle so I had to go up which was tough for me.
"So to meet at catchweight, you've got my full respect Sakio Bika for doing that. May the best man win come fight night."
Soliman referred to the contest as a "trilogy" and the "Aussie version" of Sugar Ray Leonard and Roberto Duran.
Each boxer had their most recent events fall over, Bika's at East Cessnock only last month.
Bika, on the comeback trail, told the Newcastle Herald "I feel very good, I feel very confident, I feel very relaxed".
Now an adopted Novocastrian, Bika said "being part of the hometown living in Newcastle, for me it would be very good to win on Wednesday night".
There are eight, three-minute rounds scheduled from 7:55pm.
It marks the fifth of seven fights on the undercard.
Meanwhile, Mayfield super welterweight Darkon Dryden had a message for his opponent Jason Medawar at the weigh-in on Tuesday.
As the two squared off, Dryden repeatedly told the Victorian: "I'm going to break you in half".
Mediwar, for his part, stayed stony faced.
Dryden is unbeaten in three professional bouts, but hasn't fought since winning by technical knockout over Thailand's Thanet Likhitkamporn two years ago.
Mediwar's only fight was a TKO win over Ferdi Bartulovic in February 2020.
They will have four three-minute rounds.
