Krasniqi Tests Fitness Before Facing Whitaker.

One month prior to his WBO heavyweight title eliminator against Lance Whitaker European champion Luan Krasniqi, 27-1-1 (14), has to pass the first sequence of athletic tests set by his trainer.

“It’s about power, running and stamina”, coach Torsten Schmitz explained. Krasniqi and Schmitz currently work out at Universum Box-Promotion’s gym subsidiary in Berlin. Next week the team will move back to Krasniqi’s home town Rottweil in a wooded part of the south German state of Baden-Württemberg. One week prior to the fight they will move to Stuttgart where the event takes place on May 28 at Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle. At the press conference he will show up to the media when he meets his opponent Lance Whitaker, 29-2-1 (24), for the first time.

However, the people in Stuttgart have the chance to watch a huge version of Krasniqi much earlier. Since Tuesday a giant poster is hanging outside of Galeria Kaufhof, a big mall in the center of Stuttgart. On that poster, sized 4,19 Meter x 10,30 Meter both fighters stare down on the pedestrians.

Meanwhile two woman world title contests have been added to the fightcard: Silke Weickenmeier, 18-3-3, is defending her GBU jr. featherweight title, whereas undefeated 24-year-old Alesia Graf, 10-0 (4), is getting her first world title shot at the vacant GBU bantamweight crown.

“She has the tools to win a title”, coach Torsten Schmitz said. Flyweight champion Regina Halmich, who despite of the weight difference is frequently sparring with Graf, said: “Alesia has a lot of courage and she is skilful. I think she can make it.“