18.09.06 – By Per Ake Persson: Heavies Ruslan Chagaev and John Ruiz clash in a WBA eliminator October 28 at the Porsche Arena in Stuttgart on Universum´s big “Champions Night” show. Already announced are Alexander Dimitrenko´s defence of the WBO I/C crown and Firat Arslan vs Grigory Drozd in a WBO I/C fight at cruiser. All in all ten fights are planned for the show – all at cruiser or heavyweight..
Swiss welter Riad Menasria moved to 26-0-1 with a close, majority win over unheralded Estonian Albert Starikov Friday night in Berne. Menasria have been around for ten years now without getting the big fights. The plan is now to have Riad fight an EBU ranked challenger December 26 in Bern.
EBU fly king Andrea Sarritzu defends the title October 8 in Milano against Frenchman Christophe Rodriguez as a co-feature to Frederik Klose´s defence of the EBU 147 lb belt against veteran Giovanni Parisi.
Belgian heavy Oleg Platov will now tuneup for his IBF I/C fight November 4 in Muhlheim an der Ruhr vs Henry Akinwande on Hako Sevecke´s annual charity show in Hattersheim September 23. The plan was to have Platov take on Swedish heavy Aldo Colliander on the Abraham vs Miranda show in Wetzlar on the same night but that fell through.
Cruiser Marco Huck takes on Frenchman Rachid El Hadak on the Abraham vs Miranda bill. Huck have sparred a lot with the above mentioned Colliander and I have been told it got pretty heated. Should Marco get through El Hadak he will face Italian Pietro Aurino November 4 for the vacant EU title.
Hungarian sources indicate that this may be it for former WBF and IBO jr middle champ Mihaly Kotai, who suffered two consecutive losses to Brit Steve Conway.
Sauerland Event will reportedly have supermiddle Danilo Haussler and heavyweight Francesco Pianeta join Markus Beyer at Parken in Copenhagen on the huge Beyer vs Kessler show. Canadian Interbox will probably bring in Lucien Bute, also at 168.