30.08.04 – Fight Production, the company headed by German manager Olaf Schroeder, serves notice of its aspirations for the new season when two of its main fighters, Danish cruiserweight Jesper Kristiansen and Hungarian superwelterweight Mihaly Kotai appear in separate ‘world’ title fights just eight days apart.
First to step into the ring will be 32-year-old Kristiansen, 25-4-1 (9), to challenge WBU cruiserweight champion Enzo Maccarinelli on September 3 in Newport, Wales. It sure is a trip into the lion’s den for the former WBO Intercontinental champion from Varde, but one that doesn’t bother him unduely. “All I have to say is that this will not be a walk in the park for Maccarinelli,” Kristiansen recently said in an interview. The Dane – whom Schroeder co-manages with young Henrik Risum – did the bulk of his preparation in Germany, sparring a lot with Ruediger May.
This is followed on September 11 in Budapest’s Kisstadion by Mihaly Kotai facing Guyanan champion ‘Deadly’ Denny Dalton in the fourth defence of his WBF crown. The Magyar favourite, again appearing on RTL Klub, the countries biggest private TV channel, has settled over the first part of 2004 with successful defences against Monney Seka, Derek Roche and Floyd Trumpet after a problematic ’03 and now wants to impress the Hungarian public. This is his biggest chance to do just that so far, because sharing the bill with Kotai will be countrymen Zsolt Erdei in a WBO lightheavyweight defence.
HERSISIA FIT AND READY AGAIN
Dutch heavyweight Richel Hersisia, who lost his unbeaten record and the WBF crown last March to Olympic gold medalist Audley Harrison, is also on the mend after recently undergoing an operation on his troublesome left elbow.
Hersisia, 21-1 (16), has had problems on-again, off-again with the elbow and finally decided to have it operated in hometown Den Haag before relaunching his career following the loss to Harrison. Manager Olaf Schroeder, who will meet with his charge to discuss his future later this week, explains: “It was planned for Richel to box when Harrison defended the WBF title against Tomasz Bonin, but after consultations with doctors we preferred to have this problem fixed and done with. Now Richel can fully concentrate on the sport and we are optimistic to see him back in the ring now pretty soon.”