Boxing News Boxing News
By Per Ake Persson
Russian heavy Denis Bakhtov has accepted to step in as along with Aleksander Dimitrenko as co-challenger for the vacant European title. The EBU have set June 21 as deadline for purse bids or agreement and the fight must go ahead before July 31.
Audley Harrison remains as mandatory challenger for the winner.
Frank Warren Promotions have won the right to stage Ryan Rhodes´ defence of the European junior middleweight title against Lukas Konecny with an offer for 92,000 Euro.
SES, Konecny´s promoter, bid 85,725 Euro while Hatton Promotions finished third with an offer for 81,750 Euro. When and where is to be announced.
The EBU held its General Assembly in Madrid this past weekend. The Promoter of the Year award was shared by Frank Maloney and Sauerland Event. Fighter of the Year went to former European super bantam champ Rendall Munroe. Fight of the Year went to Selcuk Aydin vs Jackson Osei Bonsu.
Bob Logist was re-elected as President by a unanimous vote. New members of the council are German Jean Marcel Nartz, former matchmaker for Sauerland and later with Universum, and Frenchman Dominique Nato, at one an exellent amateur, decent pro and a long time coach with the French amateurs. New vice-President is Pertti Augustin, who replace Peter Stucki.
Promoter Anders Holmberg of Pugnus Boxing Promotion in Sweden is working hard on putting together the main events for one or two big promotions during September. What makes it even more special is that the headliners could be staged over longer distances – with special permission – than the maximum 12 minutes the Swedish rules allow.
Holmberg has been in touch with Evander Holyfield´s management for some preliminary talks but it´s more likely we´ll see Florida-based Swedish heavy Attila Levin in the headliner, perhaps against Brit Michael Sprott.
An interesting fight in La Rochelle, France, June 12, between Ali Chebah and Loic Fouré was cancelled after the weigh-in due to a disagreement over which gloves to wear.
Chebah, WBC Youth and NABF champ at junior welter, weighing in at welter at 66.0 kg, wanted eight ounce gloves while Fouré, somewhat heavier at 69.0, insisted on ten-ounce gloves.
