25.8.2006: When exiting Ugandan lightweight crowd-pleaser Sam “Rocky” Rukundo (7-0, 3 KOs) enters the ring for one of the featured bouts on Risum Boxing’s show at Idraettens Hus in Vejle, Denmark on September 8, he will be facing the biggest challenge of his professional career. Rukundo is slated to fight former Belarussian light welterweight champion Valery Kharyanov (13-10, 6 KOs) over eight rounds, in what looks like another entertaining scrap involving the 2004 Olympic quarterfinalist..
Rukundo went the full ten rounds in his last outing, beating Nigerian puncher Silence Saheed for the British Masters Lightweight title at the Café Royal in London this past February, so he will surely be equipped to go eight hard rounds with Kharyanov. The come-forward and determined style of Rukundo does however guarantee that he will go for an inside-the-distance victory.
Kharyanov has lost his last four bouts, but he is one of those campaigners who usually perform well, even when loosing, and while he must be considered a “stepping-stone” for Rocky, he will do what he can to snatch the victory if Rukundo performs below his normal standard. A genuine “youth vs. experience” match-up, and one that is hoped to bring the spectators real value-for-money entertainment.
The ten losses on the record of Kharyanov have almost all come against top European-level opposition. In his last fight, the Belarussian lost on points to two-time European title-challenger Krysztof Bienias in Poland, and before that high-profile names such as current WBO Intercontinental champion Willy Blain, current IBC welterweight champion Rafal Jackiewicz, English light welterweight king Nigel Wright and 25-0 Swiss contender Riad Menasria have prevailed over Kharyanov. He also went the distance in a loosing bid for the IBC lightweight crown in Hungary last year against Laszlo Bognar, the man who once stopped Michael Gomez.
Also on the bill in Vejle will be local debutant drawing card Kim “Golden Boy” Poulsen and undefeated trio Fawaz Nasir (9-0, 5 KOs), Kim Jenssen (7-0, 5 KOs) and Emiliano Casal (6-0-1, 2 KOs).
Tickets for the show can be purchased through www.risumboxing.dk