By Per Ake Persson: According to a press release from Arena Box Promotion CEO Ahmet Oener was prepared to offer about 13 million US dollars for the right to stage Samuel Peter vs Vitali Klitschko. This is claimed to have spurred Duva Promotions and K 2 to reach a last minute agreement in the offices of the WBC in Mexico City last night.. The fight will go ahead this fall with date and site to be announced. German media reports have previously hinted at a big Klitschko night in Berlin with Wladimir defending the IBF title against Alexander Povetkin and Vitali vs Samuel Peter.
Swedish-based Ugandan Peter Semo defends the IBF I/C jr welter title May 17 Kharkiv against undefeated Ukrainian Sergey Fedchenko. Also on the bill are heavyweight giant Alexander Ustinov and middleweight Avandil Khurtsidze. K 2 East promotes.
Arena Box Promotion moved quickly following the announcement that Sinan Samil Sam was out of the fight against Matt Skelton May 30 in Istanbul due to a handinjury. The bulk of the undercard is moved to Bilbao, Spain, in collaboration with Stock Eventos, on the same day. Konstantin Airchi vs Danny Williams, jr welter Sergey Sorokin, middleweight Mahir Oral and Odlanier Solis will now all fight there. Arena expects to be able to stage Sam vs Skelton July 4 with site remaining Istanbul.
Cruiser Enad Licina fights American DeLeon Tinsley on Sauerland Event´s show in Bayreuth May 17. It´s scheduled for ten. Finnish/Swedish heavy Robert Helenius makes his prodebut on the bill and face Gene Pukall, a one time former heavyweight champion of the world (WAA version).
French lightweight Foic Loure is sidelined with an injury and Brahim Bariz have stepped in as challenger for national lightweight champ Anthony Mezaache. Mezaache vs Bariz headlines the Grand Tornoi show May 15 at Cirque d´Hiver in Paris.
Retired supermiddle Fredrik Alvarez´s courtcase against the Swedish healthcare system continued in Falun, Sweden, with a testimony from his former promoter and matchmaker Mogens Palle. Palle – in the midst of the turmoil around Mikkel Kessler vs Dmitri Sartison – appeared in the court to give an estimate on how much money Fredrik could have earned had he not suffered from malpractice after his hand injury (following a slip in a stair where he cut himself on a broken bottle) back in 99. As it was a piece of glass were left in the hand, Fredrik fought with the glass in his hand, suffered enourmous pain, won but the glass caused permanent damage to the hand even after the piece of glass was removed. The health care representatives don´t dispute malpratice but claims the pain and sufferings Alvarez suffered – and that effectively ended his career – were from the injury itself and not the piece of glass – something other experts disputes. To a layman it seems that the ex-boxer have a strong case but by tradition in this country damages are generally low compared with what is the standard internationally. Alvarez is suing for over 1,5 million US dollars.