09.09.04 – Alejandro Lakatus has ambitious plans for this weekend and will do everything to make them come true. The 30 year old Rumanian born Spaniard wants to beat undefeated WBO light heavyweight champion Zsolt Erdei on Saturday in front of the Hungarian’s home croud at the huge Kisstadion of Budapest. Then he hopes for a rematch against Dariusz Michalczewski who defeated him in May 2001 by knockout in round nine.
“It was an incredibly tough fight against Michalczewski”, Lakatus remembered about his challenge against the “Tiger” who was the WBO 175 lb champion then. “But it was also a great fight. I was lacking experience that time. Michalcewzski was having a huge advantage there. In round nine I was tiring and he connected with good shots.”
Since that time Lakatus, 24-3-1 (18), fought eleven times and now feels experienced enough to succeed in his second run on a world title. The Madrid based fighter who carries a dangerous looking scar on his abdomen from a car accident in the late 80’s knows that stylewise he will face a very different kind of boxer with Michalczewski’s stable mate Zsolt Erdei.
„Their styles are completely different“, Lakatus explained. “Dariusz is a strong fighter with a lot of experience and a hard punch. Erdei, however, is skillful and much more mobile.”
Lakatus still has a lot of respect for the man who defeated him three years ago. That’s why the emotional Rumanian who moved to Spain years ago when meeting his great love even though the rest of his large family still lives in Rumania wants a rematch very badly.
„First I want to beat Erdei, at best by knockout. Then a rematch against Michalcewzski would be the greatest thing to me. I would do everything for it”, Lakatus said who believes that the “Tiger” wrongfully is no champion anymore since dropping a twelve round split decicion to Julio Cesar Gonzalez one year ago. “I watched the fight between Michalczewski and Gonzalez on video. In my mind Dariusz won.”
The 30-year-old with the Spanish citizenship, an Hungarian mother and a Rumanian father, wants to leave it open what kind of tactic he will use to come out victorious on Saturday.
“I will adjust my game plan once I’m inside the ring”, Lakatus pretended. “I have to watch Erdei first, box him a couple of rounds, then I’ll find my rhytm. My aim is to win by knockout.”
The fight between him and Erdei was already scheduled for May 8 in Germany. However, Lakatus was suffering an injury to his arm in training and had to call off. That’s why Erdei faced Argentine Hugo Hernan Garay instead and won a twelve round decision. This may be a positive sign in favor of Erdei because Garay and Lakatus already fought each other and after eleven competitive rounds the Argentine won by knockout in round twelve.
Video of Zsolt Erdei’s walk-in
Get the Realplayer installed on your computer, then click on the Zsolt Erdei walk-in video on the homepage of www.boxing.de. Enjoy Erdei’s entertaining walk to the ring for his first title defense on May 8. Not many fighters can move and sing to their walk-in music and still be completely concentrated once the bell rings.
Photo gallery of the public workout
On Wednesday WBO light heavyweight champion Zsolt Erdei and his challenger Alejandro Lakatus did a public workout in front of several hundred spectators, photographers and camera teams at a shopping mall in Budapest. Have a look at the exclusive photo gallery on www.boxing.de
Coming up later on www.boxing.de: Photo gallery of the official weigh-in on Friday. Internet Live Broadcast on September 21
Four professional contests
September 21, 2004
From the Universum-Gym in Hamburg
Live Broadcast:
18:00 – 20:00: www.boxing.de
20:00 – 23:00: Eurosport
(Central European Time)