17.02.07 – By Per Ake Persson: EBU middleweight champ Amin Asikainen is currently recovering from the back injury that forced him to pull out of the rematch against German Sebastian Sylvester. Meanwhile it´s been announced that Sylvester will defend the WBA I/C title against Italian Alessio Furlan March 3 in Rostock. “Sylvester needs a dozen fights of the kind he´s having now in order to come back from the beating I gave him last summer” says the Finn and adds: “Next time I will finish him earlier!” ..
Asikainen, 20-0, stopped Sylvester in the eighth round in June of last year in what was regarded as a minor upset and has since made two voluntary defences. Sylvester, 24-2, scored three wins since losing to Amin but had a difficult night against Frenchman Franck Mezaache on the Abraham vs Miranda bill in Wetzlar in September of last year. No new date has been announced for the rematch.
On March 17 at the Marcel Cerdan Palais in Levallois-Perret Don King Productions and local partners promote a big show topped by the WBA / WBC titlefight at cruiser between O´Neil Bell and Jean Marc Mormeck.
On the undercard Ali Chebah takes on Brazilian Idiozan Matos for the WBC Youth title at welter. The 21-year old Chebah, 16-0, have been around since 2001, have yet to be tested but is said to be a real comer.
At jr middle Christophe Canclaux will fight Spaniard Jaime Pons but it is not yet – contrary to what have been previously reported – known if Canclaux´s EU title will be at stake. Christophe have it all except a good punch and will be moved towards a world title shot early in 2008.
Jr welters Christophe De Busillet and Pedro Miranda clash for the NBA I/C title – a belt that don´t mean much but both these veterans are at the crossroads in their careers and need a win badly.
Unbeaten welter Christophe Sebire is also on the bill and there will be more fights added.