European Boxing News: Baysangurov, Botha, Holyfield, Mezaache, Murray

ByBoxing Press

By Per Ake Persson

WBA Intercontinental junior middle champ Zauerbek Baysangurov will defend the title December 19 in Zaporozhye. The opponent is no other than Frank Shabani, who I believe is the last fighter in the Sauerland stable below middleweight. Shabani is a nice looking 18-1 but failed to win the European Union title and is now in a sink or swim fight.

Off again: the heavyweight clash and internal eliminator between Cengiz Koc and Oleg Platov that´s been on and off for some time and was scheduled for Saturday´s show in Ludwigsburg is off again, this time after Koc pulled out. Platov will fight the always fearsome to be announced.

Osaga Promotion´s show in Aalborg, Denmark, tomorrow (Dec 4) is now officially postponed until December 19. At the same time the Danish Federation have pulled promoter Caleb Kuya´s license. Kuya have since then announced that his show will go ahead but with a different sanctioning body. The problems began when Osaga failed to meet the demands from the Federation about a bank deposit to guarantee purses and other costs.

The Ugandan Government have announced at a press conference in Kampala that they will give full support to Baltic Pro Box and promoter Eddie Bazira in staging the fight between WBFederation heavyweight champ Francois Botha and Evander Holyfield. It´s not disclosed if the government will step in with a financial guarantee as well but it´s acknowledged that this is one of the biggest events staged in Uganda.

Hungarian heavies Joszef Nagy, the former WBFoundation cruiser champ who began his career as a super middle, and Balint Turgonyi clash in a eliminator December 12 in Salgotarjan with the winner to fight national champ Zoltan Petranyi at a later date.

European lightweight champ Anthony Mezaache will defend the title against mandatory challenger John Murray in the UK sometime in February with Hennessey Sports staging it.

Russian Denis Lebedev now has Frenchman Steve Herelius as co-challenger for the vacant European cruiser title. There´s a deadline for purse bids or agreements on December 22 at noon.