The European Super Featherweight title was fought over on Friday at Sporthalle Brandberge at Halle an der Saal in Germany and reigning champion Sergey Gulyakevich, 26-1 (12), retained the belt with a hard earned victory over previously unbeaten European Union Champ Vitali Tajbert, 17-1 (6).

Women's flyweight superstar Susi Kentikian, 23-0 (16), kept on track with a defense of her WBA and WIBF titles with a ten round points win over GBU Champ Anastasia Toktaulova, 13-10 (2).

Two undefeated heavyweights clashed on the bill and Sebastian Koeber, 17-0 (12), came out on top with a dramatic tenth and final round KO of Dieter Roth, 19-1 (12), for the Interim German title.

Oliver Guettel, 15-1 (8), retained his WBC Youth Welter title with a ten round UD over previously undefeated Muhsen Nasser, 17-1-1 (2) and WBO Intercontinental Middleweight beltholder Sebastian Zbik, 25-0 (9), won a non-title eight rounder against Christophe Karagoz, 17-14-4 (4).

Saturday saw Jeremy Parodi, 23-0-1 (7), win the French Super Bantam title against former European title challenger Salem Bouaita, 19-14 (6), on points in Toulon, France. More...

Top heavyweight contender Alexander Povetkin, 16-0 (12), stayed busy in preparation to his likely challenge of World Champion Wladimir Klitschko later this year by overcoming America's Taurus Sykes, 25-5-1 (7), at 0:48 of the second round last night at Olimpyskiy Sports Palace in the Moscow suburb of Chekhov, Russia.

28 year old Moscow based Povetkin has impressed as a professional after capping off a sterling amateur career by winning the Gold Medal for Russia at super heavyweight during the 2004 Athens Olympics.

Since joining the punch for pay rat race in 2005, Povetkin has gone through opposition at an alarming rate, participating in four or five bouts a year and in addition to Sykes, has defeated Eddie Chambers, Chris Byrd and Larry Donald over the last 13 months.

Against Sykes, Povetkin looked like the world-beater who swept through the amateur ranks in the earlier part of this decade, mixing up his punches in a fluid, combination style that had the American looking for answers from the off.

A ten year pro, Sykes has faced good to decent competition in the form of Samuel Peter, Hasim Rahman, Owen Beck, Imamu Mayfield, Sherman Williams, Derek Bryant and Friday Ahunanya but was clearly out-boxed by the Russian gunner, hitting the floor in both the second and third frames, and after taking many flush punches was stopped at 0:48 of the fourth round. More...