Miika Forssröm: Finnish middleweight contender “Idi” Amin Asikainen (24-1, 16 KOs) takes on Argentinean Claudio Ariel Abalos (18-10-2, 5 KOs) August 30 in Tampere, Finland. It is a tune-up fight for Asikainen, who later this year fights for the vacant European middleweight title against Khoren Gevor. Asikainen versus Abalos is scheduled for 8 rounds..
Asikainen, 32, is ranked as middleweight champ Kelly Pavlik’s number five challenger by the respected Ring magazine. The Finn is also rated #6 by the IBF, #11 by the WBA, #12 by the WBO and #17 by the WBC. Asikainen is 3-0 after he lost the European middleweight title to Sebastian Sylvester in a questionable fashion in Germany June 2007. In his latest fight Asikainen stopped the former IBF super welterweight champion “Yori Boy” Campas in round 7.
Claudio Ariel Abalos must be considered as a huge underdog against Asikainen. It´s not usual that a fighter is picked as an opponent because he is left handed, but that is the main reason why Abalos was picked as Asikainen´s opponent. In his next fight Asikainen will fight Khoren Gevor, who is also a leftie. Smart management by Team Asikainen? Abalos has lost most of his important fights, but he has never been stopped. So, he should at least be able to give Asikainen some rounds. The best win in Abalos´s record is a split decision victory over former contender Omar Gabriel Weis in 2006.
On the undercard rising Russian prospect Denis “Djingis Khan” Shafikov (15-0, 8 KOs) faces Slovakian puncher Andrzej Sarkin (14-4, 13 KOs) in a super lightweight bout. Shafikov is a 23-year-old very talented boxer from Miass, Russia. Shafikov could very well be a world class prospect. He has good skills, speed and power. Slovakian Sark is limited, but dangerous. Sark has 13 KOs in 14 wins and he has never been stopped.
At the same weight 20-year-old Edis Tatli (4-0) of Finland tangles with experienced Ariel Francisco Burgos (18-8, 5 KOs) of Argentina. This is very tough match-making for the young Finn. Burgos has been in the ring with opponents like Gianluca Branco, Juho Tolppola and Lucas Martin Matthysse. Burgos has also few decent wins on his record.
Also in action are heavyweights Sami “The Bull” Elovaara (18-3, 11 KOs), Juho Haapoja (5-2-1, 3 KOs), Jarno Rosberg (2-0) and super lightweight debutant Jussi Koivula. Elovaara and Haapoja are scheduled to fight for the vacant Finnish heavyweight title later this year. In Tampere they both have pretty soft opponents as Elovaara takes on Remigijus Ziausys (6-14, 4 KOs) and Haapoja faces Jevgenijs Stamburskis (4-15, 1 KO).