Canseco Gets KO'd

SI Staff | Jul 14, 2008

Canseco Gets KO'd /

Canseco Gets KO'd

Former Major League Baseball player Jose Canseco dared anyone who was willing to step up and fight him in the ring. Vai Sikahema, a former NFL Pro-Bowler and current sportscaster, took the challenge, and the two duked it out in Celebrity Boxing Promotions' "War at the Shore" in Atlantic City on July 12. Canseco, who is known more for his controversial words and ongoing court battles lately, was knocked out after just 1:37 into the first round.

Canseco Gets KO'd

A six-inch, near-50-pound size disadvantage didn't seem to deter the "Tongan Terror" in the least. Sikahema (white trunks) came out swinging hard, landing a nasty right to Canseco just seconds into the first round.

Canseco Gets KO'd

A flurry of punches by the 5-foot-9 Sikahema sent Canseco to the canvas twice in the first round.

Canseco Gets KO'd

Word spread quickly that Canseco had not trained much for the fight, while Sikahema had prepared extensively. And it showed. Just 1:37 into the fight, the ex-Philadelphia Eagle landed a punch to seal the victory and send Canseco to the mat for good.

Canseco Gets KO'd

Sikahema, who had fought in 80 amateur bouts previously, donated $5,000 of his $25,000-purse from the match to the family of a Philadelphia police officer who was killed in the line of duty.

Canseco Gets KO'd

Meanwhile, Canseco could only exit Bernie Robbins Stadium with a sullen expression and his girlfriend Heidi Northcott.

Canseco Gets KO'd

According to the New York Daily News, Canseco earned $35,000 for the fight, which made only a small dent in his six-figure debt from legal bills. The former slugger hardly appeared distraught from the loss (and ongoing financial issues), though, claiming the fight was a step closer to a career in mixed martial arts.

Published Jul 14, 2008

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