Boxing News Boxing News
On Monday, August 22, Luan Krasniqi moved his training camp to Rottweil, his hometown in the south of Germany in the Bundesland of Baden-Württemberg. Here the 34-year-old WBO number one ranked Krasniqi will complete his preparation for his heavyweight title fight against the two years younger and reigning World Boxing Organization champion Lamon Brewster, 32-2 (28).
The fight is scheduled for September 28 in Hamburg at the huge Color Line Arena. On this day German boxing legend Max Schmeling would have turned 100. The former undisputed heavyweight champion passed away on February 2 at age 99.
Krasniqi, 28-1-1 (14), is being trained by coach Torsten Schmitz who also prepares woman boxing legend Regina Halmich who will defend her WIBF flyweight title on September 10 in Karlsruhe.
The successful trinity Schmitz-Krasniqi-Halmich trained at the Universum gym in Berlin Seestraße for several weeks, but now moved down 700 km to the Swabian mountains and into Germany’s black forrest.
“I’m hungry once again”, the 28-year-old Halmich, 47-1-1 (14), said – a woman unbeaten for ten years. She will face undefeated Spaniard Maria Jesus Rosa, 19-0 (4), on September 10 in her 50th professional contest. For the end of 2005 a rematch against Elena Reid has been scheduled. Halmich and Reid fought to a draw on September 11, 2004.
“The Rosa fight will be difficult enough. But after that I will go right back to the gym and train for Reid. I promised her a rematch, and I also promised it to my fans.”
The two consecutive big events boost a high media interest in Germany and dozens of interviews, photo shootings and filmings are being done or requested. On Thursday, August 24, and on Friday, August 25, Universum organizes two media days were local and international journalists can meet up with Halmich and Krasniqi in Rottweil.
It’s a time were a lot of expectation is also set on both fighter’s trainer, Torsten Schmitz, who during training has to switch quickly between holding the pads for a flyweight lady or a full fledged heavyweight.
“I use to look my athletes into the eyes”, Schmitz said while carefully watching his charges and stepping on a treadmill at the same time.
“You can read many things in their eyes that you usually wouldn’t notice. We are a team that now faces the biggest task. I think I’m flexible enough to get both athletes in top shape by fight time. I regard it as something positive that I train fighters with very different requirements.”
Among a large collection of other advertisements the fight between Krasniqi and Brewster is being announced by a giant poster at the world famous seaport of Hamburg, close to other tourist attractions in Hamburg like the musical Lion King and the Reeperbahn.
ZDF will televise both events live in Germany.
