18.06.05 – By Per-Åke Persson: Aarhus, Denmark: Jr middle Reda Zam Zam moved to 17-0 and won the WBA I/C title with an impressive, hardfought decision over Armenian, based in France, Hamlet Petrosian. The scores were 118-108, 118-111 and 114-112. Petrosian looked very sharp in the first – so sharp one thought it would only be a matter of time before he found the range for his right.. But instead Zam Zam caught him with a beautiful counter right in the second and he went down. Hamlet did well to come back from it and actually won the third round. It was fastpaced all the way with the taller Petrosian loading up on almost every punch and was, it seemed, oh so close at times to connect. In the fourth heads clashed leaving Reda badly cut on the left eyelid. It looked bad but cutman Paddy Byrne, closing in on 77, did another remarkable job in keeping it under control for the remainder of the bout. Petrosian did well in the middle rounds and appeared to be closing in on the challenger but was caught and floored by a left-right in the eighth.
Petrosian kept coming though and made a strong finish but Zam Zam came out a clear winner. Supermiddle Rudy Markussen floored Frenchman Hacine Cherifi twice in the first before the towel came in. Markussen was watched by Hagen Doering and Uli Wegner from Sauerland Event as a possible opponent for WBC ruler Markus Beyer but the only conclusion from this fight was that Cherifi, a fighter as brave as they come, should pack it in.
Welterweight Thomas Damgaard struggled to find the timing against fellow southpaw Zambian Stephan Chungu, won clearly but failed to impress.
Featherweight Spend Abazi had Kenyan Geoffrey Munika under pressure in the first four rounds but tired and was rattled in the last of their six-rounder.
Swedish jr light Frida Wallberg took an unanimous decision over Zarika Fatuma from Kenya to win the vacant WIBF I/C title. No knockdowns but after a clash of heads Fatuma bit Wallberg and did it again later.
Lightweights Martin Kristjansen and Nico Salzmann fought to a technical draw after an accidental clash of heads left Kristjansen with a badly smashed nose.
Cruiser Johny Jensen outscored strong Georgian Leri Okhanashvili over six.
Female star Anita Christensen returned afer a long layoff and won over Oksana Romanova over six.
The Danish Federation named, not very surprisingly, Mikkel Kessler as the Fighter of the Year for 2004. Kessler was on hand to receive the award. -The calmest fighter I´ve ever worked with, said cutman Paddy Byrne who have worked with a few in his 50+ years in boxing.
Spaniard Ivan Pozo and Italian Andrea Sarritzu clash for the vacant EBU 112 lb title July 8 in Vigo (Spain).
Brit David Haye have been named official challenger for EBU cruiser king Aleksander Gourov.
Norwegian jr welter Geir Inge Jorgensen is sparring with among others WBA champ Vivian Harris at Gleason´s in New York City. Jorgensen, training under Emanuel Stewart, will after Harris´ defence June 25 train in Detroit and might get a fight or two under his belt over there.