14.02.07 – By Per Ake Persson: Union Box Team in Donetsk, Ukraine have another big show in the works for March 9 with three EEEU titles on top. At lightweight Andrei Kudriatsev might take on Belorussian Yauhen Krauhlik for the vacant title while jr welter Vladimir Kravets and welter Vyacheslav Senchenko are to make voluntary defences. Kravets is according to the EBU scheduled to fight Vadim Astapuk while Senchenko takes on Andrey Yeskin from Kazachstan. A spokesperson for Union states though that no opponents have been set yet..
Russian heavy Alexander Povetkin clash with American David Bostice in a supporting bout to Stieglitz vs Berrio March 3 in Rostock. Sauerland Event reports in a press release that both Danny Williams and Monte Barrett have refused to fight Povetkin, who indeed shows promise to go with a good punch – but there´s always a financial side to it as well.
EU jr midle champ Christophe Canclaux defends the title against Spaniard Jaime Pons March 17 in Levallois on the undercard to Bell vs Mormeck.
Once touted Ukrainian heavy Alexey Mazikin is now back home after a brief stint in Germany with Spotlight Boxing. Mazikin square off against American veteran Sedrick Fields February 27 in Kiev on National Boxing Promotion´s show that is headlined by a WBA I/C titlefight between welters Yuriy Nuzhenko vs Farkhad Bakirov.
Welters Marat Khuzeev and Viktor Plotnikov clash for the vacant IBF I/C title Februay 26 in Lvov. Vasyl Kondor goes for the vacant WBO A-P title at lightheavy in the co-feature.
Jr middle Zauerbek Baysangurov, the IBF Youth champ who is co-promoted by Sauerland Event and National Boxing Promotions, fight on the undercard to Cotto vs Urkal March 3 in Puerto Rico.
Danish supermiddle Rudy Markussen have again announced he wants to part with Team Palle. Rudy was higly ranked everywhere before getting knocked out – ahead on points and falling apart for no apparent reason – by Russian Sergey Tatevosyan on the Kessler vs Beyer undercard October 14 last year. Markussen was in the days after very unhappy with his management but made a peace deal and was headed for a comeback late in 2006 when he had falling out with his then trainer Poul Duvill. According to Bettina Palle Markussen have a long time left on his contract.
New Sweden Boxing Promotion and the Swedish pro boxing commission gets away with what might be called a slap on the wrist in the report from the January 27 show in Gothenburg from the Martial Arts Delegation that finally was released yesterday. MAD feels the licenses were uncomplete and critizise the attempt to get an underaged (they had a minimum age for fighters at 20) boxer a spot on the show. This is nothing that will prevent further promotions.
Cruiser Serdar “Bomber” Sahin takes on Sven Haselhuhn on the undercard to Kentikian vs Alvarez February 16 in Cologne.
AMI Production have set April 21 as date for Devia Gogiya´s defence of the EBU supermiddle title against Italian Cristian Sanavia. Site is still to be determined.
Ali Ismailov won the WBO Latin cruiser title February 10 at the Konti Kasino in St Petersburg with an easy second round stoppage of Brazilian Luciano Torres. Heavyweight Daniel Peret outscored Valery Makeev over six on the undercard and is ready to fight Dieter Roth February 27 in Cuxhaven.
Polish heavy Marius Wach, the TWBA champ, is sidelined with a sore left arm. The plan was to have Wach on Elite´s show in Latvia March 10.
Lolenga Mock may defend the EU supermiddle title against Belgian Djamel Selini March 24 in Copenhagen as a supporting bout to Kessler vs Andrade. No official confirmation from Palm Promotions or Team Palle though.
Wally Munteanu, along with Robert Nordman one of the guys behind New Sweden Boxing Promotion, have been taken into custody by the Swedish police in regards of suspicion of blackmail and other crimes committed in Denmark in 2004 reports TV 4. Munteanu already have a trial scheduled for several charges of tax evasion. According to TV 4 this may effect the future for New Sweden and future promotions.
Norwegian manager, trainer and promoter Helge Waeroy wants to bring WBA heavy champ Nikolai Valuev to Norway – a country that prohibited professional boxing in 1980.
Brit Esham Pickering is finally back in Denmark for sparring with IBF 126 lb challenger Spend Abazi, who fights Robert Guerrero February 23. Pickering is in training for a British title shot against Marc Callaghan March 16.