Despite the headlining Ruslan Chagaev vs. Nicolay Valuev WBA heavyweight title rematch being called off, the show at Hartwell Arena in Helsinki, Finland went on as planned last night.

Local man Juho Tolppola, 22-6-1 (9), failed in his bid to win the European Union light welter title from Italian evergreen Giuseppe Lauri, 48-6 (28), when he was DQ'd in the tenth round.

On the undercard, Colombian born Norway resident Cecilia Braekhus, 12-0 (2), defended her WBA/WBC female welterweight crowns with a points verdict over American puncher Amy Yuratovac, 6-3 (6).

Undefeated Russian light welter southpaw Denis Shafikov, 20-0 (11), gunned down Australia's John Cotterill Jr, 23-8 (10), at 2:00 of the first round while Germany based Swede heavyweight Robert Helenius, 8-0 (4), KO'd former British champ Scott Gammer, 18-4-1 (9), in the sixth of a scheduled eight rounder. More...

By Per Ake Persson

European Super Middle Champ Karo Murat reportedly defends the title against Italian Lorenzo Di Giacomo, a former European Union champ and European two-time challenger at middleweight, on May 30 at a site to be announced in Germany. More...

Aside from the boxing bills we've already run down this weekend, there were a few good Continental shows and we kick off this report at Salle des Fetes in Carouge, Switzerland where South Africa's Vincent Vuma ruled the spotlight.

The 33 year old light middleweight bounced back from losing his WBC International belt to Ryan Rhodes in November with a closely contested points win against Hamlet Petrosyan over twelve rounds.

Swiss based Armenian Petrosyan, 27-6 (10), hit the deck in the sixth and that proved to be the difference as Vuma took a 115-112 and 114-113, 114-113 decision to sweep the cards and take home Petrosyan's IBF Intercontinental Light Middleweight title.

On the undercard, Belgian light heavy Djamel Selini, 19-8-1 (14), shocked Sofiane Sebihi, 14-2 (10), by knocking out the local prospect in the first round and Swiss based Rwandan lightweight Patrick Kinigamazi, 11-0 (2), stayed perfect with a six round points verdict against Morrocco's Samir Boukrara, 11-10-1 (1). More...

British heavyweight Matt Skelton won the vacant European title last night with a tenth round stoppage of former beltholder Paolo Vidoz at the Pala Lido in Milan, Italy.

In a battle of aging heavyweights, 41 year old Skelton, 22-2 (19), rebounded from his failed bid to unseat WBA Champion Ruslan Chagaev in January with a characteristically vigorous effort to outwork the 38 year old Vidoz over the early rounds.

When the local hero finally started boxing, the skills that won Vidoz the Olympic Bronze Medal in 2000 were evident and the Italian seemed to be on his way to a points decision.

But Skelton never stopped trying and the sheer effort of fending off his mauling, wrestling style proved to be too much for Vidoz, who quit after nine rounds to hand the European title over to Skelton.

38 year old Gianluca Branco, 42-2-1 (22), continued his second reign as European Light Welter Champion, stopping Finnish challenger Juho Tolppola, 21-5-1 (9), in the ninth frame. More...