New year, new coach, new challenge: Sebastian Sylvester has big plans for 2009. After dropping a points decision against WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm in November, the Hurricane decided to make a change. In 2009 he will not continue to work with the Viking Box-Team of manager Winfried Spiering and coach Hartmut Schroder. From the end of January on, he will work out in Berlin-Marzahn under the guidance of Karsten Rower..
The new coach has been under contract with Sauerland Event since November 2008 and shall lead the ex-champion back to former glory. “Without a doubt this is a very important step in my career,” Sylvester said. “After all the years with Winne Spiering and Hartmut Schroder this decision did not come easily. But after giving it a deliberate thought, I decided that this is the right move for me.”
For several years, Sylvester has been promoted by Sauerland Event, while at the same time having a separate management contract with Winfried Spiering. However, the 28-year-old did not wish to follow the plans of his manager, who had intended to let him fight for different promoters.
“My future is with Sauerland Event,” Sylvester said. “That is why this was the only way for me.”
The Viking Box-Team, which is based in the Eisenhaus near Berlin´s East Side Gallery, and Sauerland Event go back a long and successful way. “Our cooperation has been and still is beneficial for either side – it has always been very professional and we have treated each other with a lot of respect,” said Sauerland Event General Manager Chris Meyer. “With us promoting Sebastian, he became European champion twice and earned a world title shot. That is a very good record. When Sebastian asked whether he could join us completely, we of course agreed and let Mr. Spiering know. The cooperation with the Viking-Team will continue nevertheless.” Spiering´s talents such as Henry Weber and Thomas Trolenberg always fight at Sauerland Event´s shows.
Due to his long-time ties, coach Hartmut Schroder did not want to leave the Viking Team. “I owe Hartmut Schroder a lot,” Sylvester added. “He is more than just a coach for me. But now I am starting over again with Karsten Rower. I am very optimistic.”
Rower is an accomplished amateur fighter and coach. 1996 he made Jurgen Brahmer the youth amateur champion. 2007 Rower turned pro and was appointed head coach at Hamburg-based boxing stable Arena before signing a contract with Sauerland Event at the end of 2008. Judging from their mentality, the new coach and his new fighter are sure to get along well – they are both from Mecklenburg-Western Pomerania. “The first impressions at our initial meeting were absolutely positive,” Rower said. “Sebastian is highlymotivated and very ambitious. We will be working very hard and set our goals high.”
At the end of January both will start the preparation for the next fight. Due to limited space in the Max-Schmeling-Gym near the Olympic Stadium, Rower and Sylvester will train at the Sauerland-Gym in Berlin-Marzahn.
European Boxing Roundup by Per Ake Persson
P 3 Boxing stage “Boxing Night II” in Tampere February 14. Headlining the bill is Russian jr welter Dennis “Djingis Khan” Shafikov. Juho Tolppola, an unfortunate and controversial loser to EBU jr welter champ Gianluca Branco December 19, makes a quick return to the ring in the co-headliner. Also on the bill are heavyweight Jarno Rosberg, jr welter Edis Tatli and comebacking cruiser Harri Hakulinen. In regards of Tolppola P 3 Boxing made a protest to the EBU about the loss to Branco where the ringside physician deciced that a swelling on the side of Tolppola´s face was bad enough for a stoppage – it was of course a hopeless case but P 3 Boxing hopes Juho´s brave effort against Branco followed up by a win here will be noticed in the ratings.
SES promotes a show in Aschersleben February 27 with WBC Youth welter champ Oliver Guettel headlining in the third defence of the title he won last year.
French jr middle Christophe Canclaux, 38-2, faces dangerous Romanian spoiler Gheorghe Danut January 31 in Nice. Danut is somewhere around 8-14-6.
Universum will, according to Bild, do a big show July 11 in conjunction with the Formule I race at the famous Nuerburg Ring. The main event could be a titledefence by WBA middleweight champ Felix Sturm or the battle between WBA heavyweight kings Nikolai Valuev and Ruslan Chagaev.
2009 is the last year of the long running contract between Universum and ZDF. Bild writes that ZDF pays Universum 20 million EUR for around 12 shows a year. A new deal is expected to be signed but reportedly for less money.
This year´s edition of the French Grand Tornoi opens February 5 at the Cirque d´Hiver in Paris. In the headliner national lightheavy champ Nadjib Mohammed defends the title against Martial Bella Oleme. In the tournament – this year at welter – Husseyn Bayram face Frederic Serre while Ismael El Massouidi square off against Yoann Camorin.
Amadun Ltd in Berlin will stage a dinner show February 9 at the Eventcenter Bundesallee. Topping the bill is unbeaten jr welter Ahmed Zayab. Amadun have also signed up Kenyan female middleweight Conjestina Achieng, who´s off two close losses to Natascha Ragosina.
French cruiser Rachid El Hadak face Bulgarian Konstantin Semerdiev February 1 in Metz in an IBF Meditarranean title fight. At middleweight Pierre Moreno face Amar Amari with the same title at stake. Mahyar Monshipour continues his comeback on this bill in a scheduled ten-rounder but opponent isn´t announced yet. Finally , featherweight Kedar Djelkhir – a bronze medal winner in the Beijing Olympics – make his prodebut.
IBF middle champ Arthur Abraham is sidelined with illness and Bild writes that if his health don´t improve over the weekend the planned March 14 defence have to be postponed.