EUROPEAN BOXING NEWS

Posted on | November 15, 2007 | No Comments

It´s on: Graciano “Rocky” Rocchigiani vs Dariusz “Tiger” Michalczewski III will happen at the TUI Arena in Hannover May 24. Bild Zeitung break the story today and it´s headline news. The 43-year old “Rocky” is fresh out of jail while “Tiger” have already been in a healthspa / diet clinic to shed some weight. The fight is made at 84 kg / 185 lbs. Michalczewski won their first fight back in 96 under dubious circumstances but stopped the somewhat faded Rocchigiani in 2000 in Hannover. Both fights were huge ticketsellers. There is one hurdle left writes Bild: both have to pass extensive medical checkups.

Supermiddles Robert Stieglitz, signed to SES, and Vitaly Tsypko, promoted by Sauerland Event, have been nominated by the IBF to fight an eliminator.

German supermiddle Jurgen Brahmer was ringside for Calzaghe vs Kessler but in the WBC ratings the Universum promoted fighter was replaced by stablemate Denis Inkin to fight an eliminator against Brit Carl Froch. It could be Universum are awaiting Calzaghe´s anticipated move to lightheavy before making their move with Jurgen.

Heavies Vladimir Virchis and Juan Carlos Gomez have been nominated by the WBC to fight an eliminator. The winner will be mandatory challenger for the winner between Oleg Maskaev and Samuel Peter. Should Vitali Klitschko again attempt a comeback he moves ahead in line. Virchis vs Gomez is an exciting matchup in and out of the ropes as Universum, who promote Virchis, are in a bitter rivalry with Arena, who handles Gomez. Add to the mix that Oleg Hug, who manages Virchis, is matchmaker for Arena.

New Danish promoter Robert Larsen have signed up WBA, WBC and GBU bantam champ Anita Christensen. Christensen debutes for Larsen November 24 in Gilleleje.

Comebacking Danish promoter Anders Vester will apparently have Swedish female middleweight Asa Sandell on his planned promotion in Aarhus in early February. Heavyweight Mikael Lindblad could according to Swedish paper GP also be on the bill along with Norwegian superbantam Reidar Walstad.

Argentinian jr middle Sergio “Maravilla” Martinez, who on and off have been fighting out of Spain for a number of years, have been named mandatory challenger by the WBC.

Spanish veteran Javier Castillejo knocked out Mariano Carrera in tonight´s WBA middleweight eliminator in Goppingen. This will probably make Felix Sturm vs Castillejo III and remove “El Lince” as mandatory challenger for the EBU title – which should pave the way for Finn Amin Asikainen and a third fight against Sebastian Sylvester.

Slovenian welter Jan Zaveck have accepted the dubious honor of being appointed official challenger for EBU champ Jackson Osei Bonsu.

The undercard to AMI Production´s doubleheader December 8 in Le Cannet features French cruiser Jean Marc Monrose and female jr welter stars Ann Sophie Mathis and Miriam Lamare. Juan Carlose Reveco vs Brahiam Asloum for the WBA light flyweight title and Yuri Nuzhnenko vs Frederic Klose for the WBA interim crown headlines.

WBO jr welter champ Ricardo Torres will defend the title February 16 in Las Vegas writes boxeocolombiano.com. Opponent will be either Juan Urango, Victor Ortiz or slick Russian Sergey Sorokin.

Norwegian jr welter Geir Inge Jorgensen, 24-1 and WBC Meditteranean champ, is currently in training camp in Newark, NJ. Jorgensen is booked for a fight in Maine December 15.

Former WBA, IBO, WBU and EBU bantam champ Johnny Bredahl have a book out done in collaboration with Lars Steen Pedersen called “Kampen” (the Fight). In the book Bredahls tells his story from his childhood days, through his 20+ years in boxing. That Johnny was far from a clean liver was well known in fight circles but maybe not the extent of it. Bredahl blew hot and cold during his long career but was at his peak an outstanding fighter.

Russian promoter German Titov and Arena Box Promotion join forces for the first of a series of shows November 23 in Ekaterinburg. Featherweight Andrey Isaev take on Thai Saohin Srithai Condo in WBO Asia-Pacific titlefight in the headliner. Croatian jr middle Ante Bilic and superfly Marat Mazimbaev are featured in the chief supports.