European Boxing News: Abraham, Elcock, Dzinziruk, Ulrich, Kirakosyan, Ragosina

By Per Ake Persson

It´s official I: IBF middle champ Arthur Abraham defends the title December 8 in Basle. Opponent will be Brit Wayne Elcock, who scored a big upset in beating Howard Eastman to win the national title. As previously reported, European super middle king Cristian Sanavia fights Danilo Haussler in one of the chief supports.

It´s official II: WBO junior middle titleholder Sergey Dzinziruk squares off against Czech Lukas Konecny in the co-headliner to WIBF fly queen Regina Halmich´s farewell fight November 30 in Karlsruhe. The EBU writes that its light heavy champ Thomas Ulrich faces Yuri Barashyan on this bill as well.

It will be Latvian Roman Dabolins that takes on Dutchman Andre Janssens for the vacant Belgian heavyweight title November 1 in Izegem.

OPI 2000 won the purse bids today for European junior lightweight ruler Leva Kirakosyan´s defence against Belarus Sergey Gulyakevich. Site and date is to be announced. Kirakosyan resides in Spain but hails from Armenia.

Multiple female supe rmiddle champ Natascha Ragosina is looking to add a fifth belt to her collection when she headlines SES´ promotion in Dessau December 15. Ragosina holds the WIBF, WBA, GBU and WIBA titles and will now try and get the WBC crown as well.

German manager and promoter Falco Behling insists he still have valid contracts with light heavy Kai Kurzawa, heavyweight Eddy Kalnars, uniojr middle Nick Klappert and the Kempe twins, Matthias and Andreas. The matter could be heading for the courts if no agreement can be reached with the parties involved. Behling claims he has offered all fights in the US where he also has business.

Rachid Kanfouah and Belaid Asham clash for the French light heavy title January 24, 2008, in Paris.

Spotlight Boxing returns to Solten, Austria, December 4. Topping the bill are WBC Int´l cruiser champ Rudolf Kraj, ex-IBF middleweight challenger Khoren Gevor and Russian heavy.