European Boxing News: Campillo, Erdei, Charr, Jack, Alexeev
By Per Ake Persson
Rimer Boxe is looking to have former WBA light heavy champ Gabriel Campillo in an interim title fight April 15 in Leganes. Spanish press writes that either Hungarian Zsolt Erdei or Ukrainian Vyacheslav Uzelkov could be the opponent.
Campillo was first set to take on Erdei March 12 in the US in what was thought to be for the WBA “regular” title but that fell apart when the Beibut Shumenov vs Juergen Braehmer fight for the WBA and WBO titles collapsed when Braehmer pulled out. The winner there would have been crowned super champ and that would have left the “standard” title vacant. As it is now Rimer has to settle for an interim title.
German heavy Manuel Charr, now with with Sturm Box Promotion after previously having fought for Sauerland and Universum, is according to Bild, in custody after a police razzia against a gang dealing with stolen luxury cars. Charr is 17-0 but it is in a career with long layoffs, partly due to other problems with the law.
Danish heavy Claus Bertino returns to action tomorrow in Copenhagen in a six-rounder against Hungarian Gabor Farkas in the headliner of a pro-am show. Bertino also calls out for compatriot Brian Nielsen and feels he is the perfect comeback opponent for Nielsen, who is set to fight Evander Holyfield May 7 after a nine-year layoff.
Swedish light heavy Badou Jack, 5-0, was all set for his US debut last night in San Bernardino on the undercard to Toney vs Reed. And so was opponent Benjamin Diaz. -The local commission then felt the weight difference between us too big and stopped the fight, reports the disappointed Jack in an e-mail, “came in at 172 lbs and Diaz at 186 and they stopped it!”
Jack vs Diaz may however happen tonight instead but across the border to Mexico in Mexicali. Badou is signed to Empire Sports & Entertainment.
EC Box Promotion in Hamburg continues with their “Evil Fight Nights” with a show April 9. EC, headed by Erol Ceylan and with former European junior welter and welter champ Oktay Urkal on the team, have signed up some interesting “left overs” from the bigger German promoters.
On the team is now Russian cruiser Alexander Alexeev, an exellent amateur who was last seen getting knocked out by Denis Lebedev in a WBO eliminator. Alexeev was probably moved too fast by Universum and can still get back into world title contention. Cruisers Kai Kurzawa and Lukas Schulz, both formerly with Sauerland are also signed by EC and so is Polish light heavy Gregorz Soszynski.