Alexander Povetkin (21-0, 15 KOs) and Ruslan Chagaev (27-1-1, 17 KOs) today participated in an international press conference in Erfurt, Germany, one month ahead of their World Boxing Association (WBA) Heavyweight Title fight. After Wladimir Klitschko added the WBA belt to his International Boxing Federation (IBF) & WBO titles, the WBA made him super champion and the title became vacant.
Top-ranked Chagaev and Povetkin, the number two, now fight for the title in Erfurt on August 27. “I have won the Olympic gold medal and I´ve been World and European Amateur Champion,” unbeaten Povetkin said. “Now I want to finally accomplish my goal of winning the world title as a professional. I have a lot of respect for Chagaev, but he will not get in my way.”
Chagaev, who dethroned “The Russian Giant” Nikolai Valuev back in April 2007, was equally respectful of his opponent. “Povetkin is a strong fighter, but I want to become world champion again and win back my old title. I am highly motivated.” And his coach Michael Timm added: “This will be a great fight which could be over after three rounds. But it could also go the distance. We will be prepared for the full twelve rounds.”
Chris Meyer, General Manager of Team Sauerland, said that a meeting between Sauerland Event and Universum, who promote Chagaev, is always special. “For many, many years Sauerland Event and Universum have been fighting to boost the sport of boxing in Germany. Whenever our paths cross inside the ring, the fans are guaranteed a very exciting fight. There are many examples from the past, and I am sure that August 27 will be no different.”
Vlad Hrunov, Povetkin´s manager, is also looking forward to an exciting heavyweight title fight. “It will be a clash at the highest-possible level,” he stated. “Both Alexander Povetkin and Ruslan Chagaev are top athletes and fair sportsmen. It´s nice to be on a press conference that focuses entirely on the sport and not on provocations. That tells you everything you need to know about the fight. It will be very exciting – with the better ending for Alexander.”
In the co-featured main event, WBA/WBO Intercontinental Heavyweight Champion Robert Helenius (15-0, 10 KOs) will be looking to knock out another former world champion. After destroying Lamon Brewster and Sam Peter, he now takes on Siarhei Liakhovich (25-3, 16 KOs).
Cotena-Coyle and Hyland-Trotta on 8/12
Elio Cotena
Italy’s boxers are promising double disappointment for the Irish when Elio Cotena and Fabrizio Trotta take on Henry Coyle and Patrick Hyland respectively on a big night of boxing at The Royal Theatre, Castlebar on Friday, August 12th. Cotena will take on Coyle for the World Boxing Federation (WBF) Light Middleweight title while former European title challenger Trotta will look to snap the longest unbeaten run in Irish boxing when he takes on Hyland in a Featherweight contest.
“Western Warrior” Coyle will have huge support in his native Mayo but Cotena is adamant that they will be leaving the Royal Theatre disappointed an d that Coyle will be leaving empty handed. Speaking from his training camp in Naples the 30-year-old Neapolitan declared, “I am coming into this fight on the back of the best form of my career and I know that a big win in Ireland will lead to even greater opportunities for me so I will be making room in my suitcase to bring another title belt back home to Naples.”
Cotena is a grandson of the former Olympian and European Featherweight Champion of the same name and he is promising to do this namesake proud in Castlebar. “Boxing is in my blood and always has been. Everyone knows that my grandfather was one of Italy’s greatest boxers and I would love to replicate his achievements in the sport.
“I have trained so hard for this fight and my team will be leaving Naples very confident of victory in Ireland. I have watched some of Coyle’s fights and I think his style is perfect for me. We share a common opponent in Sandor Ramocsa and I have watched Coyle’s fight with Ramocsa and that has only made me more confident of victory.”
Cotena will be joined on the card by compatriot Fabrizio Trotta and he’s confident that the Azzuri can pull off the double. “It will be great to have Fabrizio on the card as well. We will be there to support each other and I’m sure that the score will be 2 – 0 for Italy that night. Even if the Irishmen have Giovanni Trapattoni in their corner that night it will not be any help!”
Fabrizio Trotta
Trotta will certainly be hoping for better luck on this trip to Ireland having been unsuccessful in a challenge for for Rendall Munroe’s European Super Bantamweight title in Dublin in 2008. On that occasion Trotta made an excellent start before suffering a broken right hand which put paid to his challenge in the fifth round.
“I have bad memories from my last trip to Ireland but I am determined to make up for that this time around,” said Trotta. “Hyland has a nice record but records are for paper, they count for nothing once you start trading punches in the ring and I am confident that I can score a big win to put me right back in the picture for a European title fight.”
“I have had a frustrating time since that fight in Dublin with injury and fights falling through but I am ready to put all that behind me next month and get a big win over Hyland. Our styles are similar and we both like to have a fight so I’m sure it will be exciting while it lasts but this will be a step too far for Mr. Hyland.”
There will be plenty of local interest on the undercard at the Royal Theatre with Westport’s unbeaten Finbarr “The Rock” Eade bidding to lift the Irish Super Featherweight title when he faces London based southpaw Mickey Coveney while in an intriguing all Mayo battle former Irish Light Heavyweight champ, John “The Warrior” Waldron takes on Michael “The Storm” Sweeney. Another all Irish affair will see Roscommon’s Darren Cruise look to extend his unbeaten record against Leeds based Belfast southpaw Lee Murtagh while the Hyland family will be hoping for a double celebration when former European title challenger, Paul Hyland joins his older brother Patrick on the card when he takes on Welsh opposition in the shape of Dai Davies.
Tickets for the August 12th event priced from €30, €40, €70 and €100 are on sale from the Royal Theatre Box Office on 0818 719 300, Ticketmaster.ie / 0818 719300 and the boxers on the bill.
Little vs. Cesna on July 31
Hatfield Heavyweight Tom Little is set to debut, against Lithuanian Rolandas Cesna, at the Graham Earl Promotions ‘Renaissance’ event at the Liquid Nightclub in Luton on Sunday, 31st July.
Former World Champ Graham Earl knows a good prospect when he sees one, so when he recently said, “I’ll be debuting an exciting new Heavyweight on the 31st“ and “he’s one of the best Heavyweights I’ve ever seen”, you know that Tom has to be special.
As an amateur young Tom, who stands at a whooping 6’6” in his socks, won sixteen of his twenty two contests. Besides his height, Tom’s main advantage is his exceptional speed, making him somewhat unique in a division renowned for big lumbering punchers.
Speaking earlier today Tom expanded on this as well as spoke about his upcoming debut, “I’m really looking forward to it and I’m looking forward to setting the Heavyweight division alight.
I always knew my style was more suited to the pros than the amateurs, especially for the Heavyweight scene, because I’ve got a lot of speed which I believe the current crop aren’t going to be able to live with, which I’m going to prove on the 31st when I showcase myself to everybody.
I’ve got a good tall range, stunning stiff jab. There’s some fighters out there that are bigger than me but that don’t mean much in the Heavyweights because you can’t hurt something you can’t hit.
Basically I can’t wait to get out there, start winning and get myself noticed so people start talking about me.”
Tom Little versus Rolandas Cesna will be supporting the highly anticipated rematch between Manny Oshunrinde and Jahmaine Smyle that headlines ‘Renaissance
Graham Earl has put together an exciting undercard to support Oshunrinde-Smyle II that features, besides Tom Little, Belfast’s big banging Joe Hillerby as well as the debuts of James Smith and Danny Mulhern.
Tickets, priced £30, for the Graham Earl Promoted ‘Renaissance’ event at Liquid Nightclub, Gordon Street, Luton on Sunday July 31st 2011 are available on-line at www.tkoboxoffice.com or in person at Graham Earl’s House of Champions Gym, Unit 11 Hitchin Road Industrial Estate, Luton, Bedfordshire, LU2 0DZ