Euro Boxing Roundup: Dimitrenko Stops Basile in 1st round

29.10.06 – By Per Ake Persson: Veteran Firat Arslan scored a big upset in a WBA eliminator at cruiser in stopping touted Russian Grigory Drozd in five last night in Stuttgart. Arslan has been around since 1997 and is now close to a world title shot. Supermiddle Jurgen Brahmer looked good in knocking out Argentinian Francisco Mora in his first fight since losing to Mario Veit..

Mora´s compatriot Omar Gonzalo Basile, however, stole the show with his heavily tattooed body and inept performance against WBO I/C heavy champ Aleksander Dimitrenko. It was over after only 54 seconds of the first with Basile out on his feet and the crowd booing.

Sports Network has signed up French bantam David Guerault. Guerault is the current EU champ and have previously held the EBU titles at flyweight and bantam. The now 33-year old Frenchman just retained the EU title with a points win over John Bikai after what ringsiders described as a poor performance. However, it´s claimed by people who know Guerault that it all boils down to poor training conditions. In the UK, with Sports Network, Guerault can probabaly find not just all the sparring he needs but also the right opponents.

Latvian heavy Edgar Kalnars floored Hungarian veteran Zoltan Beres in the second round in the headliner of Elite Box Promotion´s show last night in Furstenwalde but had to settle for a points win after eight. Local hero and big ticketseller, jr middle Nick Klappert stopped Antal Kubicek in the fifth of a scheduled six-rounder. Supermiddle Christian Pawlak outscored Sandris Tomson over six in a fight that saw both men cut. Tomson also fought October 26 in the UK and lost there as well. It´s probably not healthy to fight two days apart but it´s up to the the Federation where Sandris is licensed, in this case Latvia, to keep check on the safety.

Sauerland Event will feature several newcomers to the November 4 show in Muhlheim in the likes of Frank Shabani, Dominik Britsch, Karo Murat and Alexander Frenkel. None have big amateur titles in the bag but matchmaker Hagen Doering is confident they can go places in the pros.

Polish welter Rafael Jackiewicz outscored Frenchman Nicolas Guisset October 28 in Debica to retain the IBC title. It was scored 117-111, 118-112 and 118-114, a scoring that indicates many even rounds. In the chief support lightheavy Dawid Kostecki won a disqualification over French veteran Ramdane Serdjane, who was heavily floored in the second and lost interest in fighting after that.

The UBC, Universal Boxing Council, will stage its first Congress in Europe November 30-December 3 in Budapest, Hungary. The UBC is headed by Luis A Bella Diaz with Joseph Gyori as vice-president.

Issa Hamza outscored Fabrice Colombel October 27 in Calais, France, in a WBF I/C titlefight at welter. It was scored 116-112, 115-114 and 115-113. Colombel stated afterwards he´s will drop down to jr welter where he´s fought most of his fights.