European Boxing News: Jensen, Cunningham, Huck, Adamek, Singchawa, Ali

Danish cruiser Johny Jensen, a huge underdog, won the European Cruiserweight title with a second round stoppage of Italian Vincenzo Cantatore in front of perhaps 7000 fans at the huge Palalomattico in Rome on Friday night.

Both men started slowly, Jensen scored with a good left jab to the body but from then on – up until the end that is – the fight belonged to Cantatore. Jensen, hands high, blocked some of the punches but the champion gained confidence as the challenger seemed fall apart mentally. In the second it was more of the same. Both men missed, Jensen tried to work the body but was shaken by a left-right-left hook combination.

Jensen retreated, the crowd cheered, the confident champion had a killer look in his eyes but then walked into a right hand and was hurt. With hindsight it should have been stopped right then and there but as it was, Cantatore tried to punch, wobbled, Jensen – as surprised as anyone else – scored again and the Italian began to slide against the ropes.

The Dane landed again, and again, with British referee Ian John Lewis watching. Cantatore finally went down with Jensen landing with a final punch with the champion on the floor. If ten and out actually was tolled, I couldn´t tell, but to me it seemed as if it was stopped. Time given as 1.12.

The Danes began to cheer with the crowd partly in an uproar, some felt it was stopped too soon, others blamed the punch when Cantatore was already floored, and one spectator seemed to blame “cosa nostra” involvement. But to this observer, it seemed as if Jensen, a decent puncher, caught an aging fighter on the right spot at the right time. Once Cantatore realized he had been stopped, he tried to resume fighting but was on very shaky legs and it took several minutes before he was back in the real world.

Junior middle Emanuele Della Rosa stopped Belgian Hicham Nafil in the sixth after a foul filled contest where Della Rosa got away with a lot of things that should have seen him DQ’d elsewhere but in Italy. As it was, Nafil had to retire due to a shoulder injury caused by Della Rosa´s wrestling tactics.

Danish heavy Claus Bertino opened the show and walked through Bulgarian Anton Simeonov for a second round TKO win.

News:
The undercard to Cunningham vs. Huck in Bielefeld December 29, shapes up very interestingly: Jose Alfaro and Prawet Singchawa will indeed fight for the vacant WBA Lightweight title in this German town with Don King Promotions and Sauerland Event joining forces.

Polish cruiser Tomasz Adamek is also on for the show and takes on Tiwon Taylor. At heavyweight, Francesco Pianeta will again face tough Italian Paolo Ferrara. The records show a split win for Pianeta the first time around but most neutral observers at ringside had Ferrara well ahead.

Francois Botha is off the fight against Odlanier Solis December 23 in Halle / Saale with Julius Long replacing him. Herbie Hide will fight Russian Mihaly Nasyrov for the vacant WBC International cruiserweight title.

Former multiple light heavy and cruiser champ Fabrize Tiozzo has announced plans for a comeback. No concrete plans have been announced, Tiozzo is freelance and open for offers.

Ulf Steinforth’s SES have made public a 750 000 USD offer for Laila Ali to face Natascha Ragosina, who come December 15 is likely to hold five world titles at super middle.

Newly crowned ABU lightweight champ Sam Rukundo lands at number fifteen in the latest WBC ratings. Rukundo, who like opponent Robert Osiobe, weighed inside 135 lb November 24 in Gilleleje, also won the UBO bauble that night – but not at lightweight. UBO insists Rukundo is their junior welter champ and have sanctioned Abdu Tebazalwa to fight for its still vacant lightweight “universal” title December 22 in Kampala, Uganda.

Mehdi Amar vs Pierre Moreno and Kamel Belagchemi vs Hassan N’Dam fight in the first eliminators in the French version of the Contender January 24 at Cirque d’ Hiver in Paris.

European super middle champ Cristian Sanavia and Danilo Haussler will do it again at a date to be announced. The two drew controversially in Basle December 8. Sauerland Event promotes both.

Stefan Raaff and Rene Hubner fight tonight for the vacant GBC cruiser title in Cologne. Ex-pro Mario Guedes and his P4Pound Promotion stage the show.