HOLLYWOOD, FL, August 21 – He is the longest reigning champion in the middleweight division today, a European superstar who now has his sights set on conquering new land in America after a spectacular US debut in June. On Saturday, October 4th, ‘King’ Arthur Abraham defends his IBF 160-pound title for the eighth time as he takes on 1992 US Olympian and former world junior middleweight champion Raul Marquez in his first appearance on United States pay-per-view television..
Abraham-Marquez, a 12 round IBF World Middleweight Championship bout, is presented by Sauerland Event, in association with Seminole Warriors Boxing. The bout will be held at the Jako-Arena in the Bavarian town of Bamberg in Germany and will air live in the United States at 3pm ET / 12pm PT on CABLE AND SATELLITE pay-per-view VIA IN DEMAND, TVN AND DIRECTV. The suggested retail price is $24.95.
“Arthur Abraham is the type of fighter American fans love – he’s aggressive, he has knockout power, and he has a champion’s heart,” said Leon Margules, Executive Director of Seminole Warriors Boxing. “He’s going to be pushed to the limit by Raul Marquez though, and I believe that when it comes to action and drama, this fight has the potential to be one of the best bouts of 2008.”
One of boxing’s longest reigning champions, ‘King’ Arthur Abraham (27-0, 22 KOs) has ruled the middleweight division since 2005, making seven title defenses over the likes of Edison Miranda, Sebastien Demers, Khoren Gevor, and Elvin Ayala in the process. A native of Yerevan, Armenia who now makes his home in Berlin, Germany, this punishing puncher made his United States debut in June, stopping his rival Miranda in just four rounds in Florida. It was the 28-year old Abraham’s fifth straight win by knockout, and he is looking for six in a row on October 4th.
Winner of 41 of his 46 pro fights, Raul ‘El Diamante’ Marquez (41-3-1, 1 NC, 29 KOs) is owner of perhaps the most inspirational story in boxing today, one that has seen the former 1992 US Olympian and world champion return from a two year layoff and go on to a seven fight unbeaten streak. Since that return, he has been unstoppable, going 6-0-1 with 5 knockouts. In his most recent bout, Marquez – who has been in the ring with Shane Mosley, Fernando Vargas, Jermain Taylor and Yory Boy Campas – earned a shot at the IBF crown with a 12 round decision win over Giovanni Lorenzo on June 21st.
European Boxing Roundup
By Per Ake Persson
Ukrainian supermiddle Vitaly Tyspko, IBF # 2, is awaiting the outcome of IBF champ Lucan Bute´s defense against Libradro Andrade October 24. Tsypko will then be one of the participants in an eliminator to determine the next mandatory challenger for the titleholder.
Slovenian welter Jan Zaveck is in full training for the upcoming EBU titlefight October 10 against Belgian Jackson Osei Bonsu. There are stories out that Zaveck will fight some kind of WBA eliminator against Venezuelan Nelson Linares but no such fight is sanctioned by the WBA and Zaveck himself knows nothing about it.
Italian fly Vincenzo Picardi who is in the semifinals in the Olympics is the son of Antonio Picardi, Italian champ and challenger for the EBU bantamweight title.
If all goes well – and it should – in Sweden September 5 for heavyweight Robert Helenius (who fights Dane Ingvardt Jorgensen) he will take on Swiss Nikola Vujasinovic October 4 in Bamberg on the Abraham vs Marques bill.
Danish supermiddle Mads Larsen, a steady climber on the WBA ratings, will not fight again until the end of the year.
Norwegian jr welter Geir Inge Jorgensen´s long awaited shot at the vacant WBF title could go ahead early October in Poland on a BoxingEurope promotion.
Serbian lightheavy Nikola Sjekloca takes on French veteran Pierre Moreno October 18 in Budva, Montenegro.