Boxing In Germany: Braehmer Retains WBO Title In Hamburg

Schwerin based southpaw Juergen Braehmer was back in action last night in defense of his WBO light heavyweight belt at Sporthalle in Hamburg, Germany.

The 31 year old handily met the challenge of Argentine champion Miariano Nicolas Plotinsky, dispatching the Buenos Aires man at 2:36 of the fifth round.

It was never a competitive contest, not surprising given the challenger’s lack of world class experience going into the clash.

Plotinsky, 16-4 (8), who had only been past six rounds twice, won the Argentine crown in 2008 and the WBO Intercontinental strap last year with a stoppage of former European titlist Thomas Ulrich.

Braehmer, 36-2 (29), who lost a WBA title challenge to Hugo Hernan Garay in 2008, won the Interim WBO trophy against Aleksy Kuziemski last year while defending the full WBO belt against Dmitry Sukhotsky in December before defeating Plotinsky last night.

But the German’s list of title defenses against lower level opposition is likely over as the trio of Bernard Hopkins, Karo Murat and Nathan Cleverly represent Braehmer’s top three WBO challengers.

Due to financial reasons, it’s unlikely that Hopkins would actually agree to fight Braehmer, who will probably take on former European kingpin and current WBO Intercontinental titlist Murat before the more dangerous Cleverly, the current European ruler.

On the undercard, top female flyweight Susi Kentikian, 27-0 (16), survived a genuine scare against previously undefeated Nadia Raoui, 11-1-1 (3).

Kentikian held onto her WBA, WBO and WIBA titles, but just barely, escaping with a 96-94, 96-94, 95-96 controversial split decision that will likely lead to a mandated rematch.