RUDI PIKA

Rudi Pika, 13-0, 6 KO’s, was a half Estonian, former Welsh amateur champion.

Active between the years 1980 to 1986, he held an unbeaten professional record. A heavyweight, Pika found life too much to bear and, at the tender age of only 26, he tragically took his own life.

A massive prospect who lost one ABA final, highly contentiously, to Frank Bruno. Most of the people who were there believed that Pika won the fight, but Bruno got it, many believed, because he was the future of the heavyweight division in the UK. It was apparently his second ABA final, having lost the previous year, at only 17 years of age, on points.

Apparently, the Daily Mirror, who covered amateur boxing were rather unhappy at Bruno winning, so you can make what you will about the judges’ decision.

His final fight, at cruiserweight, was after all, to beat a future world cruiserweight champion in Glenn McCrory.

Pika’s personal life falling apart would appear to be what drove him to despair and his tragic solution. Following retirement, he worked in construction and it was whilst working there one day that he finished his task, sat down and then slit his wrists. He left behind a widow and two young children, one of whom was newly born.

For Pika his professional debut came on the 26th of November 1980 at the Wembley Arena on undercard of the WBC middleweight title fight between Maurice Hope and Carlos Herrera. Both Hope and Pika won, though only Pika managed it with a first round stoppage.

Having made his debut in the back end of 1980, it was not until 1983 that his fighting got himself noticed. There may have been no belt on the line between Pika and Winston Allen at St. David’s Hall in Cardiff, but there is a tale.

On the undercard of the last British heavyweight title fight to be fought over 15 rounds, between two Welshmen, Neville Meade and David Pearce, the Welsh title was also being fought between these two, Cardiff natives Allen and Pika also squared off. It was not the first time the two of them had faced each other with fists raised.

As for Pika, he held on for another 3 years and 4 fights, but gaps between contests began to emerge. That level of inactivity was never going to work in his favour. A few times he even fought on Bruno undercards.

His final fight, at the Royal Albert Hall, on the 9th of April 1986 saw him win on points at cruiserweight against a man who would go on to win and successfully defend the IBF cruiserweight title, Glenn McCrory.