European Boxing: Mads Larsen, Felix Sturm, Carl Johanneson And Regina Halmich

By Per Ake Persson

Mads Larsen will return to the ring for the first time in over three-and-a-half years on May 8 when he takes on Vasily Andriyanov in Barcelona. In his last fight to date, the 34-year-old Dane won the European super middleweight title from Danilo Haussler in October 2003 before a shoulder injury, as well as a legal dispute with his Danish promoters, kept him out of action. But after joining Sauerland Event earlier this year, the Golden Boy (45-2, 37 KOs) is now ready to make his highly-anticipated ring return next month.

Russia´s Andriyanov (7-12, 1 KO) has been chosen as the opponent, and coach Ulli Wegner is confident the exhausting preparation will pay off. “Mads is a superb boxer,” Wegner lauded. “The best time is still ahead of him. It took him a while to get used to the hard training but he did extremely well. There is still a lot of boxing left in him.”

Larsen is thrilled to get back into the ring after the long break. “I am very ambitious and have my goals set high,” he said. “But first of all I need to get some fights under my belt.”

Undefeated Ukrainain welter Yuri Nuzhnenko defends the WBA Intercontinental title June 9 in Kiev.

Danish super middle Mads Larsen returns after a long layoff May 8 in Barcelona against Russian Vasily Andryianov. Larsen was last seen in 2003 when he first lost to Sven Ottke then beat Danilo Haussler inside four weeks. If all goes according to plan Larsen could get a bout on Sauerland Event´s show in June as well.

Veteran trainer Werner Kirsch, for seven years with SES and a key figure in building up the stable, have announced his retirement. Kirsch was an exellent amateur in what used to be East Germany and later became a trainer with TSC Berlin.

Spanish sources reveal that Universum, during the short time that Felix Sturm was off the fight against WBA middle champ Javier Castillejo, tried to substitute him with Khoren Gevor. The offer was turned down by Castillejo who didn´t want to fight a southpaw. Gevor fights on the undercard in Oberhausen.

Former French lightweight champ Charles Juretti have passed away at the age of 54 due to heart failure. Jurietti went 26-9-5 in a career that ended 1984 in Randers, Denmark, on a one round knockout loss to future European ruler Gert Bo Jacobsen.

European Junior Lightweight champ Leva Kirakosyan makes a voluntary defence of the title July 13 in Leeds, England against Carl Johanneson.

Cruiser Serdar “Bomber” Sahin squares off against Marco Heinichen May 12 in Oranienburg in what SES hopes will be a final test before going for the German title and Mario Stein. Junior middle Marco Schulze headlines the Oranienburg show and defends the IBF Intercontinental title against Turgay Uzun.

Universum´s June 2 show in Duesseldorf will be headlined by WIBF fly champ Regina Halmich and WIBF jr fly titleholder Julia Sahin.