Dresden is looking forward to a second „Universum Champions Night“ after a successful premiere in November 2007. On April 28 the Freiberger Arena will be in the center of attention for another world championship twinbill and other title fights. WBO world champion Zsolt „Firebird“ Erdei (28-0-0 (17)) will defend his WBO belt in Dresden once again. The opponent of the Hungarian „Firebird“, who lives in Hamburg and fights for Universum Box-Promotion, was announced today at the press conference in Dresden..
DeAndrey Abron (15-1-0 (10)) from Youngstown in the USA is with his height of 6’3 again taller than the champion Erdei and comes to Dresden with only one defeat. In his last fight, at the „Universum Champions Night“ in November 2007 against Tito Mendoza of Panama, the world champion Erdei thrilled the audience in Dresden with a spectacular fight. Many of the fans made the way from Erdei’s homeland of Hungary and supported him throughout the fight. In nine successful title defences he has underlined his strengths and his excellent boxing skills and the nimbus of invincibility.
„I’m glad to be back in Dresden, I had a great experience here last November. We like it here and as we are superstitious it good to be back at the place where I have been successful. Abron is once again a taller challenger and I’m hoping that he will be attacking much more than Mendoza. If that occurs I haven’t got any problems with taller fighters. I’m the fastest one in my weight division and when it comes to the point when the better fighter wins, that will certainly be me”, the motivated world champion Erdei states.
Also his coach Fritz Sdunek was in a positive mood: „In traditional fashion we had our preparation in Zinnowitz and went to the Sauna and swimming in the very cold Baltic Sea. Zsolt has already great results and he is in great shape when he starts the sparring phase in two weeks.“
In Dresden you will also see the Universum world champion Sergiy Dzinziruk, who will jeopardize his WBO belt at super welterweight. His opponent Lukas Konecny fights for the SES Boxing stable in Magdeburg and is currently at #2 of the WBO rankings. This fight has been rescheduled twice due to injuries of both boxers.
For the unbeaten and in Hamburg based Ukrainian Sergiy Dzinziruk (34-0-0 (22)) this fight is not only another title defence but also to underline his excellent skills in oder to fulfil his plans to invade the American market.
„I’m for the first time here in Dresden and I have a very positive impression. Dresden is a nice place. Although the fight against Lukas Konecny had been postponed twice I have prepared myself very well for this challenge. I know him for a long time and know about his previous fights. I have studied his fights with my coach Michael Timm and I’m sure that I will win“, a very relaxed Sergiy Dzinziruk at today’s press conference in Dresden.
The Czech Lukas Konecny (36-2-0 (18)), who trains and lives in Magdeburg, returns from an rib injury and is now looking forward to his first shot at a world title belt at super welterweight. In the fight record of the WBO-Interconti title holder you will find victories over Khoren Gevor, Ante Bilic and Roman Dzuman.
„The good thing about the postponement is that I live close to Dresden so that many of my fans can come. To me Sergiy Dzinziruk has the best boxing skills and ist he best fighter in my weight division. It will be the biggest fight of my career and when I want to win I have to surprise him”, a realistic and respectfully challenger Lukas Konecny said.
Alongside of these two world title fights, the 22 year old heavyweight prospect Denis Boytsov (20-0-0 (18)), will also be in action at the Freiberger Arena. After a short fight of the KO-king Boytsov at the „Universum Champion Night“ in January of this year in Düsseldorf against the American Tommy Connelly, he will now face Robert Hawkins (23-10-0 (7)) from Philadelphia. The experience Hawkins, who has been in the ring with known fighters such as Eddie Chambers, Samuel Peter, Oleg Maskaev or Vladimir Virchis, will be a tough challenge for talented heavyweight Denis Boytsov.
Heavyweight Denis Boytsov only said a few words: „I will come here to Dresden to fight. I don’t really like the expression KO-king as I want to impress with my boxing talent and my punching power!“
His coach Fritz Sdunek: „Denis is an exceptional talent and has the body and height similar to Mike Tyson!“
Boytsov on that: „I’m not Tyson – I’m Boytsov!“
„We have to limit the training sometimes as Denis left hook is already better then the one of both Klitschko’s. He can get to the top“, an euphoric and confident Fritz Sdunek states.
In additional title bouts the WBO-Inter-Continental champions Karoly Balzsay (17-0-0 (12)), # 8 of the WBO rankings at super middleweight and jr.-welterweight Willy Blain (18-0-0 (3)), # 1 der WBO, will defend their belts and will make a step closer to a world title bout in the near future. Their opponent and other match-ups will be announced in the next weeks.
Tickets for this „Universum Champions Night“ are available at:
Universum Ticket Hotline: +49 -40-696 559 59
CTS-Eventim Hotline: +49 -1805-5 70 000
Konzertkasse im Floretinum: +49 -351-86 66 010
Touristinformation Dresden: +49 -351-491 922 33
or at www.boxing.de
“Universum Champions Night” in Düsseldorf: World Championship with Felix Sturm and Julia Sahin on April 5
The boxing highlight of this event will be the battle of WBA middleweight world champion Felix Sturm who will be challenge by the unbeaten Australian WBA #13 middleweight contender Jamie Pittman. After an 8 months injury break the WIBF world champion Julia Sahin returns to the ring for another title defence. She will face the Puerto Rican Yahaira Martinez.
Felix Sturm (28-2-1 (12)) is a busy man when it comes to boxing in the last year. He dethroned the Spaniard Javier Castillejo in a Rematch in April 2007 and secured the WBA belt for the second time before risking it again just eight weeks after in Stuttgart against the unbeaten Noe Tulio Gonzalez Alcoba of Uruguay. The thrilling battle of Felix Sturm with his mandatory challenger Randy “The Gentleman” Griffin in Halle/Westfalen in October 2007 fascinated the crowd. In front of 5100 spectators at the Gerry-Weber-Stadion and over 6.5 viewers on TV this encounter ended in a draw after 12 spectacular rounds.
After a 5 months break Sturm is now ready to return and have his first fight in Düsseldorf where he will risk his belt once again. With the Australian Jamie Pittman (16-0-0 (7)), also known as „Mr. Business“, he faces a southpaw and it will certainly be another tough challenge. The 26 year old WBO Asia-Pacific Champion and WBA will have his first fight in Europe after a winning streak in his native home of Australia.
World champion Sturm was in a great mood at today’s press conference in Düsseldorf: „It felt very good to have a longer break after my last fight in October. Maybe it was all too quickly having three tough fights in six months. Now I and my team can feel that I have the energy back again and I’m enjoy my training. We are using new training methods and I’m improving on my performance not only by a newly created nutrition and fitness programm. I’m highly motivated for my next challenge and I’m already ahead of my training schedule. I’m looking forward to my first fight as a boxer in Düsseldorf as it is very close to my hometown of Leverkusen.”
Regarding his opponent the Universum middleweight stated respectfully: „He is unbeaten and can throw hard punches. He is a southpaw and quite tall for a middleweight. We have to think about the tactics. I want to show the spectators in Düsseldorf a good fight and I have to give my best against a strong opponent. I want to fight the best fighters!”
WIBF world champion Julia „Sunshine“ Sahin (19-0-0 (2)) has defended her belt for the last time in July 2007 in Düsseldorf and had to undertake a longer break due to injuries on both of her knees. After a series of operations she is now back and preparing for her third title defence.
Her opponent Yahaira Martinez (7-1-0 (4)) comes from Puerto Rico and will be a tough challenge from Central America. She also fights in the unusual southpaw style. Düsseldorf is always in good memory for Julia Sahin. She was celebrated by the crowd in January 2007 when she claimed the WIBF belt at jr. flyweight and in her last fight in Düsseldorf when she defeated Anstasia Toktaulova.
„After the operation I had on both of my knees I’m now in the final period of my rehabilitation programme and I have to be very patient and disciplined. My greatest wish is to fight for many more years. My opponent will be a southpaw which will be the first time for me facing someone with this style but I want to keep my belt and therefore I have to face this challenge,” Julia Sahin said in front of the present press.
After the high demand for the tickets of the last „Universum Champions Night“ in Düsseldorf in January 2008, when heavyweight world champion Ruslan Chagaev fought in front of a sold out crowd at the Burg-Wächter Castello, its believed that for this event the tickets will also sell quickly.
Tickets fort his event will be available from next week
Universum Ticket Hotline: +49 40- 696 559 5
CTS-Eventim Hotline: +49 1805-5 70 000
Düsseldorf-Marketing: +49 1805-644332 and at all known ticket shops