05.02.05 – The original encounter last October, where Hungarian Jozsef Matolcsi came back from four knockdowns to stop Fight Production’s Austrian Gotthard “The Cougar” Hinteregger, 24-7-1 (12), in round eight was such a spectacular fight that ‘Boxing News’ called it the second best fight of 2004 in Britain. It now looks like the mandated rematch will also take place in Britain, as Matolcsi´s promoter Krzysztof Zbarski and Hinteregger´s ditto, Olaf Schroeder, are targeting a working-date of March 25 somewhere on the isles to settle the score..
Hinteregger was heartbroken after the first fight, where he, seemingly on his way to certain victory, made one mistake and lost his IBF Intercontinental super welterweight title. But on top of his big wish of a second opportunity being realised, he will also get a shot at making a
bit of Austrian boxing history. This since the rematch, Fight Production just announced, will also be for the vacant WBO Intercontinental title besides the IBF version, and no Austrian boxer have ever won, or even contested, two titles from “the big four” (WBA, WBC, IBF, WBO) in one fight
Its not like “Gotti” needs more inspiration for this fight, as he have practically been eating, sleeping, walking and talking Jozsef Matolcsi the last four months. He is hungry for revenge, hell-bent on getting it, and it means the world to him that he is now on track to finish what he started that night in Brentwood. But the fact that two belts, and possibly a world ranking, will now be on the line, only adds fuel to the fire that has been roaring inside him ever since he lost his cherished title to the Hungarian.
The rematch was first to have taken place in February, but Matolcsi, working as a doorman, was stabbed in the back in December, which put the fight in jeopardy. He is doing well now though, is back in training, and, with the ante being upped, it looks like things have worked out for the better because of those unfortunate events.