25.09.06 – By Per Ake Persson: Still IBF middle champ Arthur Abraham is, according to boxen.com, Sauerland Event´s website, doing well in hospital after surgery for the broken jaw he suffered against Edison Miranda Saturday night. “I would have stopped him in the sixth if I hadn´t broken my jaw” says Abraham – and he might be right. But he did break his jaw and had a terrible evening. Abraham will remain in hospital for three or four days more, all the blood he lost must play a part in this, but hopes to be ringside for Valuev vs Barrett in Chicago October 7. Abraham has had a titanium plate installed in the jaw.
While TV-deals for Kessler vs Beyer have been struck for some countries like the US, Canada and Australia Sauerland Event and their network partner ARD still don´t have any agreement for Germany. Sauerland Event´s CEO Chris Meyer said Saturday night in Wetzlar that negotiations were making progress but no deal had been made. In Denmark it´s likely that Team Palle go with DK 4.
EBU supermiddle champ Mger Mkrtchyan defends against Russian Devi Gogia October 12 at the Konti Kasino in St Petersburg. Mkrtchyan was first supposed to fight Gogiya, then Spaniard Gabriel Campillo but no agreement could be made and Gogiya re-entered the picture. The date have been changed four times by now.
German heavyweight champion Andreas Sidon was in the press section for Abraham vs Miranda in Wetzlar representing the local paper in nearby Giessen. Sidon takes on Ukrainian Taras Bidenko October 28 in Stuttgart. Andreas, self managed, told me he could have sold 1000 tickets had he been on the show.
Polish welter Rafael Jackiewicz headlines Hammer Knockout´s show October 28 in Debica. It´s not yet been decided if it will be a non-title ten-rounder or a defence of Jackiewicz´s IBC title.
Danish heavy Steffen Nielsen returns against Italian Paolo Ferrara on the Kessler vs Beyer bill in Copenhagen October 14. Nielsen have been out since losing to Gerorge Arias in April of 05.
Norwegian jr welter Geir Inge Jorgensen is in Hamburg sparring with WBA I/C champ Andreas Kotelnik. Jorgensen might fight in Copenhagen October 14.