PHOTO: Mihaly Kotai hugs his wife Judit after yet another win.

06.03 - Due to a programming change with Hungary’s biggest private television company RTL Klub, who have an exclusive contract with world-ranked superwelterweight Mihaly Kotai, the 26-year-old’s planned WBC International title defence in Leipzig, Germany on April 5 was now cancelled.

Kotai, 21-0 (11 KO’s), who had just returned home to Budapest from his first stint with new German trainer Theo Kerekesch when the news reached him, will nevertheless not have to wait too long before he gets back in the ring.

“Basically, I have worked out a fight schedule for Mihaly with (promoter) Krzysztof (Zbarski of Polish Boxing Promotion) that will lead us well into the summer,” says Olaf Schröder, whose German company Fight Production manages the WBC # 9 and EBU # 4 rated puncher.

The first step of that plan will lead Kotai, whose last two bouts took place in Las Vegas, near the Welsh capital of Cardiff for a 10-rounder on April 12 against an opponent still to be announced.

For Theo Kerekesch, former coach of ex-European heavyweight champion Luan Krasniqi, it will mark his first outing with his new protégé and the end of his “way too early” (manager Schröder) retirement. “We get along fine, Mihaly is enthusiastic and very much willing to improve and, really, now I can’t wait to get him started,” the 66-year-old Kerekesch explains, “This kid has a lot of potential and I am so exited about him myself, that honestly until now I totally forgot to talk to Olaf about my fee…”.