09.02.04 – By Olaf Schroeder: He used to be one of Germany’s best long-shot hopes for future lightheavyweight glory, but no more, at least not for the moment. However, before you start thinking that Robert Stieglitz somehow lost a fight, hold a second, because the current IBF junior world champion at 175 lbs is still the proud owner of an undefeated record standing at 21-0 with 14 knockouts. What happened is that the 23-year-old hot prospect moved down a division to campaign at supermiddleweight and has now set his eyes on the IBF junior world title in that, his new, weight class.
Stieglitz turned professional just two months shy of his 20th birthday in early 2001 and in less than 18 months brushed aside 15 victims almost effortlessly. His first big chance came when he met Russia’s Sergey Karanevich (now himself WBC junior world champ at lightheavy) in October 2002 over 10 rounds. Robert responded brilliantly – he never before ventured beyond the sixth round, and that only once – to win a clear decision and with it his first title. Last year, he underlined his potential with three defences of the IBF’s junior crown, all 10-rounders won on points. While Stieglitz accumulated valuable experience, he found it strange that only his opponents always had to watch their weight. The logical step was to try his hands south and without a problem, Robert brushed aside Pole Marcin Radola in the first round in his supermiddle debut last November. Surely, Radola was no match for the stylish German and so he opened more eyes before the fight because of the ease with which he made the 168 lbs limit.
That is something his opponent on February 21 in Aschersleben, Germany, can not claim so easily, because 22-year-old Galen Brown from St. Joseph, Missouri, has always fought at lightheavyweight so far. This, however, he did with success: Of his 13 fights since punching for pay, Brown won 10 (five via the short route), drawn once and already reversed his only loss, a close 4-round decision in only his sixth career outing. While therefore all the advantages seem to lay with the German, it can be safely assumed that Brown is, as the boxing parlance goes, coming to win.
Should Stieglitz loose for the first time in his career, he can always claim that it was wrong to leave the lightheavyweights after all. He could move back up and, given his age, rebuild quitely. But what kind of option is this for a young and starving boxing prospect, who is Germany’s newest supermiddleweight hope?