11.06.07 – photo by J.A. Treptow: Sinan Samil Sam, Ahmet Öner and Oliver McCall at the press conference in Ankara — At the press conference for their big fight next Saturday in Ankara the “bulls” Sinan Samil Sam and Oliver McCall pawed the ground big time. In front of ten running TV-cameras in noble Sheraton Hotel the “Atomic Bull” snorted: “I knocked out Lennox Lewis in round 2 and Henry Akinwande in round 10 – I am sure that Sinan will go down somewhere in between..”
Teased by provoking questions of Turkish journalists McCall took off his shirt to show his impressive 42-year-old body: “I am ready to go – and I will definitely knock out Sinan. I bet my purse!”
Probably the “Atomic Bull” had not imagined that arena-CEO Ahmet Öner would accept the bet. A six-digit figure is on the line. WBC International boxing Champion Sam has never been knocked out in his whole career. If McCall is not the first one to fell the “Bull from Bosporus” he will lose his money.
Meanwhile Sinan did not seem to be too impressed by his opponent’s show. Sam: “I have heard lots of big sayings like this in my life. But nobody has ever been knocked out by trash talk. I don’t want to commentate that as I always treat my guests respectfully – at least until we step into the ring.”
Promoter Ahmet Öner is sure that he will make lots of extra-money in front of an enthusiastic crowd of Sinan-supporters in Atatürk SporSalonu. Öner: “We are proud to present professional boxing in Turkey for the first time after it had been banned for nearly 30 years. It will be a fantastic night with a spectacular main event. The eyes of the boxing world are on Ankara – and they will all see Sinan beating McCall!”