WBO #6 Ondrej Pala (30-2, 21 KOs) and IBF #15 Konstantin Airich (22-5-2, 16 KOs) showed up in great shape and very self-confident at the weigh-in for their combined IBF intercontinental / WBO European championship bout tomorrow (Friday, March 9th) in Tekirdag, Turkey. The clash between the technically skilled Czech and the hard-hitting German will be broadcasted live on Eurosport (starting at 21:00h / 9pm Central European Time). It is a re-match of a 10-rounder in March 2009 which saw Pala getting away with a close Majority Decision win in Cuxhaven, Germany.
Said Pala who weighed in at 246 lbs. (111.5 kg), “I have beaten Airich before and I will beat him again. But this time it will be no hard work for the judges. I never promise to knock somebody out but I will make it very clear that I am better than him.”
Naturally Airich who weighed in at 229 lbs. (104.0 kg) has a different point of view: “I am perfectly prepared for this fight. I have been in training camp with Vitali and Wladimir Klitschko in Austria. And I know that I can and will beat Ondrej Pala. I can see in his eyes that he knows that I can beat him. He already felt my power in the first fight and he will feel it even harder this time. I will show the world why I call myself “the Sandman” – I will put Pala to sleep!”
Promoter Ahmet Oner is proud to present this heavyweight showdown in his hometown Tekirdag. “I expect a very close and exciting fight”, says Oner. “One thing is for sure: Both of these guys are a lot better than Wladimir’s last so called opponent Jean Marc Mormeck. I am not saying that these guys could beat Wladimir but if he ever faces seither one they would surely come to fight. Everybody who likes honest and good heavyweight boxing better than lasershows and gigantic walk-ins should watch this fight!”
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One man who will surely watch the fight closely will be promising German heavyweight prospect Erkan Teper. The reigning WBC Mediterranean heavyweight Champion might be on collision course with the winner of Pala vs. Airich. But before even thinking about that, Teper has to take care of ring veteran Ivica Perkovic on Friday in Tekirdag. The 37 year old Croatian went the distance with Turkish heavyweight legend Sinan Samil Sam in October 2007.
“I am not planning to waste as much time as Sinan did”, says Teper. “I don’t only want to win my fights; I want to entertain and please the crowd, too. I know that most boxing fans want to see Kos and I am here to deliver. I don’t care who my opponent is or who he has been in the ring with. I just go in there and get the job done.”
Teper’s fight against Perkovic will not only be featured on Eurosport but also be streamed live on the internet on wbcboxing.tv.
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The opening bout of the TV broadcast will feature Varol Vekiloglu from Berlin. In his last bout “the Relentless Lion” didn’t stand a chance against Konstantin Airich when Vekiloglu moved up to heavyweight to challenge “the Sandman” for the IBF Intercontinental Championship. Vekiloglu was knocked out cold in the first round. “It was hard for me to admit it but I am just not a heavyweight contender”, says Vekiloglu. “But of course, this doesn’t mean that I quit. I know that I still have a lot left.”
For his comeback fight after the devastating loss Vekiloglu is dropping back done to cruiserweight to take on Christian Schwaeblein from Erfurt, Germany. “I am happy that I get the chance to rehabilitate. Lots of people were bashing me after Airich had stopped me. Now I want to show my critics what I’m made of.”