01.12.05 – By Per Ake Persson: WBA 147 lh champ Luis Collazzo mandatory defence against German Oktay Urkal could go ahead in Berlin January 28. Don King Productions won purse bids but have for a number of reasons not been able to stage the fight so it’s likely a deal will be struck with Sauerland Event.
Hardpunching Russian supermiddle Denis Inkin takes on Panamanian Tito Mendoza December 13 in Solden, Austria. Welters Jan Zaveck and Joel Mayo headlines in a WBO I/C titlefight.
Italian cruiser Giacobbe Fragomeni fight Hungarian veteran Zoltan Beres December 16 in Milano. Ex-WBC supermiddle champ Cristian Sanavia, official challenger for EBU ruler Jackson Chanet, and Silvio Branco are featured on the undercard. Branco is the mandatory challenger for WBA 175 lb champ Fabrice Tiozzo.
Rosanna Conti Cavini´s last show for 2005 takes place December 26 in Grosseto and is topped by Domenico Urbano vs Karim Ketoun in an EU 126 lb titlefight. Lightheavies Leonard Turchi and Remo Tatangelo square off in a fight for the Italian title.
WBA supermiddle champ Mikkel Kessler and Eric Lucas met today in Copenhagen and finally signed the contracts for the January 14 showdown.
Bad luck for lightheavy Elvis Michalenko who has been forced to vacate the EU title due to a serious infection that will keep him out of action for at least one year. Kai Kurzawa and Massimiliano Saiani square off for the vacant title December 10 in Leipzig on the big Abraham vs Ikeke event. Also on the bill is big heavy Timo Hoffmann, who face American Tim Williamson, even bigger (at least taller) Henry Akinwande goes for the IBF I/C title, the Marco Huck vs Michael Samms fight is rescheduled for this show and Ukrainian jr middle Zauerbek Baysangurov defends the IBF Youth title.
French fly Brahim Asloum began boxing in 1995, captured the Olympic Gold in 2000 and is of course looking to capture the WBA 112 lb title December 5, in Paris against defending champ Luis Parra.