European Boxing News: Braehmer, Atlas, Povetkin, Golovkin, Holyfield, Chanet

By Per Ake Persson

The reasons vary but fact is that WBO light heavy champ Juergen Braehmer has pulled out of no less than five major fights since returning after a prison term in the fall of 2005. Add to that another postponement when then WBA champ Hugo Hernan Garay pulled out of the first date for the defence against Braehmer.

In 2010 Braehmer was all set to defend against Alejandro Lakatos July 17 but injured his back just days before the fight. This time he got sick upon arriving in Kazachstan for the fight against Beibut Shumenov. Once in the ring, Juergen is a fighter´s fighter but he´s also a promoter´s nightmare.

Teddy Atlas must know he is in a business where the results count so while he lashed out against Sauerland Event and Kalle Sauerland in particular in an interview, it´s also a fact that the Atlas-trained Russian heavy Alexander Povetkin looks further and further away from the can´t miss prospect/contender that beat Eddie Chambers back in 2008.

Povetkin then injured his foot which killed a fight against Wladimir Klitschko, Atlas came onboard as a trainer and for whatever reason Alexander hasn’t looked the same. There´s no official confirmation but expect Atlas to be out.

Universum have proudly announced that WBA “regular” middle champ Gennadyi Golovkin is back in the team after a district court in Hamburg ruled in Universum´s favor in their contractual dispute.

Golovkin´s new manager Dr Maxmilian Herrmann then issued a statement saying they will appeal and that Golovkin will never fight for Universum again. But when one look on the fighters that walked out on Universum of lately there´s been no clear ruling on what´s right or wrong.

Khoren Gevor won his case, it was then appealed but Gevor then signed with Universum again and the case was dropped. Felix Sturm settled his case out of court with huge sum of money and now we have the Golovkin case. Look for more to come.

Danish paper Ekstrabladet revealed the other day that ticket prices for Evander Holyfield vs Brian Nielsen March 5 at the 2000-seater DR Concerthall in Copenhagen will be quite expensive. Ringside seats will be sold for 9995 Danish kronas, while the cheapest tickets will go 4495 DKK. Included is dinner, the undercard featuring Reda Zam Zam and Patrick Nielsen and some other entertainment.

The fight is also available via PPV at 499 DKK. In US dollars we are looking at about 780 for the cheapest ticket and about 1700 USD for a ringside seat. Will this sell? Personally I doubt it, Nielsen was a huge star a decade ago, his fanbase was with the average man on the street but by the time he fought Mike Tyson in 2001 he already then showed signs of slipping. Holyfield is of course a legend in his own time but a good ten years behind his best days.

Former European super middle champ Jackson Chanet, 29-3, returned to take on unsung Geard Ajetovic last night in Epernay in a fight for the WBC Mediterranean light heavy title but got stopped after only 1.40 of the first in a big upset.

For Chanet, retired in 2006 after tough losses to Mger Mkrtchian and Deviya Gogiya but back in 09 for one fight, this must again spell the end. At middleweight Israel Carrillo outscored tough Belgian Michel Recloux in another WBC Mediterranean title fight.

German lightheavy Artur Hein will now take on Italian Francesco Versaci for the vacant European Union title. The EBU have announced February 12 as date but site is not announced.