European Boxing News: Gevor, Macklin, Konecny, Bayram, Kentikian

By Per Ake Persson

Armenian-German Khoren Gevor gets a surprise chance in a WBA eliminator at middleweight against Matthew Macklin April 16 in Manchester. Gevor was until two days ago in training in Amsterdam for an eight-rounder at super middle in Muenster March 26 which now is off.

Khoren, 31-5, have challenged for three world titles already and was a controversial loser to Felix Sturm in 2009. Last time out he lost to Dimitri Sartison for the WBA regular super middle title.

Gevor will continue to train in Amsterdam. Exactly where a WBA eliminator takes a fighter in a weight division with three champions is however more than a little bit unclear but Macklin vs Gevor is an exciting matchup.

European junior middle champ Lukas Konecny now has French veteran Husseyn Bayram as mandatory challenger. Bayram replaces Ryan Rhodes. The EBU have set March 28 as deadline for purse bids or agreements.

Universum finally officially announced the show in their gym in Hamburg March 26 late yesterday afternoon and previously tabloid Bild Zeitung and the management of WBA, WBO and WIBF female fly champ Susi Kentikian announced that she is defending her titles on this show.

Kentikian has a book out on her life called “Mir Wird Nichts Geschenkt”. Headlining is European heavyweight ruler Aleksander Dimitrenko in his defence against Pole Albert Sosnowski. No undercard has been announced.

As previously reported Sauerland´s TV2 Fight Night will now feature WBA, WBC and WBO female welter champ Cecilia Braekhus defending her titles against Jill Emery. Hard punching super middle Rudy Markussen is again sidelined with an injury and the tournament this evening will now feature combacking junior middle Reda Zam Zam, replacing Ahmed Kaddour, taking on Finland´s Mika Joensuu, who steps in for Kamran Kabinejad.

The winner will fight the winner of the Christian Bladt vs Cliff Soukka clash. Middleweight Patrick Nielsen headlines and faces Brit Gary Boulden.

Hungarian promoter Felix Racz is step by step getting back into boxing after his comeback last year. Felix Promotion now has WBO European light heavy champ Tamas Kovacs, Szabolcs Pintye and Andres Meszaros under contract.

Rimer Boxe and Tundra join forces for an interesting small hall show in Navalcarnero (Madrid) March 25 featuring new faces and experienced journeymen. In the headliners junior welter Ruben Nieto faces Alex Bone Palma. Lightweight Petr Petrov is in against Moises Castro and junior middle Dani Perez fights Joaquin Carnero.