European Boxing News: Zsolt Erdei, Bernard Dunne, Jackson Osei Bonsu

Universum announced today that WBO Light Heavy champ Zsolt Erdei will make a defence against George Blades on June 16 in Budapest, Hungary. Also on the bill are Erdei´s Hungarian stablemates Zsolt Bedak and Karoly Balzsay. Not announced but still very likely to end up on this show are cruisers Firat Arslan vs. Valery Brudov in WBA eliminator.

Contracts for European 122 lb champ Bernard Dunne´s defence against Norwegian Reidar Walstad were signed today. The fight goes ahead June 23 in Dublin. Walstad holds a win in the amateurs over Dunne but is up against it.

Austrian sports writer and TV commentator Sigi Bergmann have a book on the colourful career of former European Junior Welter and Welter champ Hans Orsolics published this week. Orsolics, who turns 60 next week, was the darling of the Austrian fight fans in the late 60´s and 70´s but fell on hard times when he retired.

What makes this story a little different is that Orsolics got back on his feet and how he did it. When Bergmann did a story on the almost down and out singer / songwriter Charly Kiechbaum wrote a song about it – and it was recorded with Orsolics on lead vocals and was a huge hit in Austria back in 1986.

Spotlight Boxing have scheduled a show for June 12 in Maribor, Slovenia. Slovenia´s sole pro, European Union Welter champ Jan Zaveck is very likely to be one of the headliners on this show.

The German Federation will do a lot of work abroad during June: on the 16th they supervise shows in Ankara, Turkey, and Budapest, Hungary and then on the 12th in Slovenia.

European Welter champ Jackson Osei Bonsu, who defends the title June 9 in Antwerp against Cristian De Martinis, has Frenchman Nordine Mouchi have official challenger.

Italian cruisers Giacobbe Fragomeni and Vincenzo Rossitto are co-challengers for the European title.

Middleweight Thomas Troelenberg and cruiser Rene Hubner headline a small club show June 9 in Eisenhuttenstadt promoted by Bernt Skadi.

R2 Image & Events, who promoted their first show May 8 in Guadalajara return June 23 in Bilbao. R2 works with Tundra vs Barcelo. Junior welter Ali Chebah is likely to be one of the headliners.