EUROPEAN BOXING NEWS
Posted on | June 21, 2008 | No Comments
Mikkel Kessler weighed in at a perfectly fit 76,1 kg / 176,75 lbs for tomorrow´s WBA title fight in Copenhagen against Dmitri Sartison, who came in at 75,9 kg / 167,25 lbs. Sartison looked smaller though both in height and weight as the two had a short staredown and then smiled for the cameras. The WBA have ordered the winner to face Danilo Haussler inside 120 days with a 60-40 split of the purse in case Kessler wins and 50-50 if Sartison should pull of a huge upset. Team Palle will appeal but it appears that Sauerland Event stands firmly behind getting Haussler a shot at world title. On paper Kessler vs Haussler shapes up as a huge mismatch -this said with all the respect in the world to Danilo, a strong, brave warrrior.
Lolenga Mock, reigning EU champ at supermiddle, is off the show. Mock have an offer from Sauerland Event to face EBU titleholder Karo Murat later in the summer.
WBA heavy king Ruslan Chagaev is sparring with three very tall sparringpartners in Evgeny Orlov, Julius Long and Raymond Olubowale in preparation for his July 5 title defence against Nikolai Valuev. Larry Donald is also helping out.
Swedish heavy Attila Levin continues his comeback July 25 in Kissimee, Florida. Opponent is likely to be Gabe Brown. The fight will be televised in the US by Telemundo and in Sweden by TV 4. Levin will then fight a four rounder under the special Swedish rules in Karlstad September 5.
K2 East stage a show billed as “Tornado in the Ring” July 5 in Odessa with two WBA I/C titles on top featuring middleweight Avtandil Khurtsidze and cruiser Vitaliy Rusal.
Turkish heavy Sinan Samil Sam is training at home in Ankara with among others Herbie Hide and Henry Akinwande for his EBU titlefight against Paolo Vidoz July 4. Cuban Odlanier Solis prepares in Cologne with new trainer Orlando Cuellar for his fight against Fransois Botha.
Frenchman Olivier Schaeffer, 1-1 in the pros, have passed away in a tragic car accident June 14 reports the national federation.
Calls for a ban on professional boxing in Denmark can be heard in the aftermatch of the sad affair with former EBU cruiser champ Johny Jensen. At the same time there seems to be no info on what kind of injuries Jensen suffers from. Media describes him as “brain damaged” but that is a very loose term even for us laymen. Exactly what is wrong with Jensen and what caused it remains to be determined.
Polish cruiser veteran Wojicech Bartnik face Ukrainian Oleksandr Geraschenko June 28 in Sanok. On the undercard two Swedish amateur stars – Akilles Adnan and Karlo Tabagoua – turn pro.