Jürgen Brähmer got back on track Saturday night in front of 3200 fight fans at the Freiberger Arena in Dresden with an exciting technical knock out victory over Frenchman Rachid Kanfouah. Brähmer, who lost a world title challenge against Argentinean Huge Hernan Garay last November, captured the vacant European light heavyweight title and is back in line for another crack at a world championship.
At age 30, Brähmer out boxed his foe in the opening round, using his ring generalship, reflexes and good hand speed. The second saw the first and only knockdown of the night, when Brähmer connected with a short right hook that send Kanfouah to the floor. Afterwards, however, Brähmer started brawling instead of boxing which led to a bleeding nose for the German contender. Round three was the best for the French guest, as he pressed the action and scored with inside hooks to the body and the head. His success lasted for only one round though.
Brähmer found his rhythm again in the fourth, outscoring his opponent with quick and precise punches of all different kinds. The end came in round five, when the Universum southpaw stunned Kanfouah with good body shots and shut his left eye completely with hard punches to the head. The swelling led the referee to end the contest after 2:30 minutes of the fifth, declaring Brähmer the stoppage winner. As long as the “100-Year-Talent” opted to box and move around the ring, he was in total control of his foe. But when he decided to slug it out, Kanfouah had some good moments. It was an all action battle between two courageous warriors with an deserving winner in Jürgen Brähmer.
The battle marked victory 32, number 27 by knock out, for Brähmer as a professional, losing only two against Garay and stable mate Mario Veit, whom he knocked out in a rematch later on. It was an important step towards becoming world champion for Brähmer, who now eyes a rematch with Garay.
Graf victorious in rematch!
In a battle of boxing beaus, the co-feature of the evening, Alesia Graf scored a decisive unanimous decision over rival Magdalena Dahlen to defend her super flyweight championships for the tenth time. Both boxers met in Rostock last year, engaging in a hard fought battle that excited the crowd. Again tonight, the fans were not disappointed. From the opening bell, they witnessed an intense battle. The challenger was more active in the opening rounds, while Graf connected better. However, the first part of the ten round bout was close. Afterwards, the champion used all her experience to gain command, use openings and counter Dahlen’s attacks. In the ninth, Dahlen tried to turn the tide once more but the 28-years old Graf kept control and cruised to an easier victory than five months ago. After ten rounds, the judges were in agreement, scoring it 96:94 and 98:92 twice for the defending champion.
With the victory, Graf moves to 23-1 and stays the GBU and WIBF titlelist at super flyweight. At age 24, Dahlen suffered her second loss in a row, once again to Alesia Graf, falling to 9-2.
In a bout for the vacant WBO InterContinental light heavyweight title, former world title challenger Thomas Ulrich (31-5, 21 KOs) was surprisingly knocked out in round eleven by Mariano Nicolas Plotinsky (15-3, 8 KOs). The aggressive Plotinsky pressed the action all night and explosively ended it with a big right hand with about 30 seconds left in the eleventh.
In a clash of unbeaten light heavyweights, WBO #2/WBA #6 Aleksy Kuziemski (17-0, 4 KOs) scored a fifth round TKO over Armin Dollinger (19-1, 8 KOs) to claim the EBA European title. Good performance for Kuziemski who got the stop with a barrage of punches after dominating the fight.
In a further light heavyweight contest, hot prospect Igor Michalkin (8-0, 7 KOs) impressively crushed former world title challenger DeAndrey Abron (15-4, 10 KOs), scoring a second round TKO at 1:34.
Rounding out the “Universum Champions Night” card, unbeaten junior featherweight Zsolt Bedak (13-0, 3 KOs) outpointed “Destroyer“ Franklin Teran (27-3, 21 KOs) won a twelve-round unanimous nod by scores of 118-109, 117-110, 116-111 to win the WBO European belt, while flyweight brother Pal “Pimpa“ Bedak (3-0, 2 KOs) battered Kemal Plavci (3-26), but was forced to settle for a four round decision with all scores being 40-34
All Results:
EBU European Championship Light Heavyweight (12 Rounds)
Jürgen Brähmer (GER) vs. Rachid Kanfouah (FRA)
W TKO: Rd. 5, 2´30
WIBF / GBU World Championship Jr. Bantamweight (10 Rounds)
Alesia Graf (GER) vs. Magdalena Dahlen (GER)
W PTS: 98:92, 98:92, 96:94
WBO Inter-Continental Championship Light Heavyweight (12 Rounds)
Thomas Ulrich (GER) vs. Mariano Nicolas Plotinsky (ARG)
L KO; Rd. 11, 1’35
European EBA Championship Light Heavyweight (12 Rounds)
Aleksy Kuziemski (POL) vs. Armin Dollinger (GER)
W TKO; Rd. 5, 0’40
WBO European Championship Jr. Featherweight (12 Rounds)
Zsolt Bedak (HUN) vs. Franklin Teran (ESP)
W PTS: 118:109, 117:110, 116:111
Light Heavyweight (8 Rounds)
Igor Michalkin (RUS) vs. DeAndrey Abron (USA)
W TKO, Rd. 2, 1’34
Flyweight (4 Rounds)
Pal Bedak (HUN) vs. Kemal Plavci (SRB)
W PTS: 40:34, 40:34, 40:34
Andrade Crushes Joseph, Serrano Defeats Krupp
By Jim Slattengren: 2008 Olympian Demetrius Andrade destroyed Tim Joseph (4-2-1, 1 KOs) in the 1st round tonight at the Mohegan Sun Casino, in Uncasville, Connecticut. Andrade, 21, landed well in the opening minute with fast head shots. He then went after a retreating Joseph and battered him against the ropes until the fight was stopped at 1:53 of the 1st by referee Dick Flaherty.
In other action on the card, welterweight prospect Raymond Serrano (9-0, 5 KOs) defeated Jay Krupp (12-2, 5 KOs) by a lopsided six-round unanimous decision. The final judge’s scores were 60-53, 60-53 and 58-55. Krupp, 25, was dropped in the opening round after running into a right hand from Serrano.