Boxing In Germany: Sartison vs. Gevor For WBA Super Middle Title Tonight

ByHermann Helmut

Tonight at 02 World Arena in Hamburg, WBA super middle king Dimitri Sartison puts his WBA super middle title on the line for the first time, facing experienced challenger Khoren Gevor.

The Kazakhstan born titlist, 26-1 (17), won the vacant belt last November with a sixth round stoppage of little known Stjepan Bozic, three bouts removed from a KO loss to WBA Champion Mikkel Kessler in which Sartison was gunned down in the 12th round.

Southpaw Gevor, 31-4 (16), will be making his first appearance as a super middle following two failed world title bids at middleweight, losing a close decision to WBA boss Felix Sturm last year and a KO loss to IBF ruler Arthur Abraham in 2007.

Former European champion Gevor has faced the better competition over the course of his career, which was as a light middle for the initial two years, but that won’t mean anything if he can’t hurt the bigger Sartison, who has operated as a super middle his entire career.

Neither fighter has great concussive power and couple that with both of their ability to take a good shot means this one will likely go the distance with the man who can control the pace winning the decision.

Also on the bill, Interim WBC middleweight strapholder Sebastian Zbik, 29-0 (10), meets the challenge of undefeated Argentine lefty prospect Jorge Sebastian Heiland, 16-0 (8).

WBC Latino beltholder Heiland will be making the maiden voyage outside his homeland and will step above the level of pedestrian competition for the first time in his challenge of Zbik, who has to date proven capable of defeating grade B European opponents.

It will be a major upset if Heiland knocks off Zbik, but the South American is undefeated and therefore potentially dangerous for the German.

The vacant European heavyweight belt will be fought over by the towering pair of Ukrainians Alexander Dimitrenko, 29-1 (19), and Yaroslav Zavorotnyy, 14-4 (12).

Dimitrenko defeated former European ruler Luan Krasniqi in 2008 but failed in his step up bout last year against Eddie Chambers in a majority decision loss in a WBO eliminator.

While Zavorotnyy did win the EBU-EE crown in his most recent appearance, the Kharkov man has also lost to any better grade opponents faced including Richel Hersisia, Rene Detweiler, Gbenga Olukun and 27-0 future world champion Nikolay Valuev, who 2-0 the Zavorotnyy was oddly thrown in with in 2002.

This is a comeback fight that Dimitrenko, who must be careful as his opponent has good power, should win on points.

Ex-WBO super middle titlist Karoly Balzsay, 21-2 (15), looks to return to the winner’s circle after two straight losses as he meets 37 year old veteran French banger Aziz Daari, 24-14-4 (20), two-time holder of the French light middle belt, in an eight rounder.

In an eight rounder between 37 year old heavyweights, Juan Carlos Gomez, 47-2 (36), who held the WBC cruiserweight trophy a decade ago, continues his comeback after a loss to WBC heavy champ Vitali Klitschko last year with a scheduled eight rounder against iron-chinned American veteran Zack Page, 21-29-2 (7), who will likely be giving up 40 pounds in weight to Gomez.