European Boxing News: Castillejo, Botha, Branco, Witter, McCloskey, Thomas

By Per Ake Persson

Spanish all-time great Javier Castillejo, 40, comes back April 4 in the big indoor bullfighting arena in Leganes against compatriot Pablo Navascues. Castillejo, 62-8-0-1 and a world champ at both junior middle and middleweight, comes off a bad KO loss to Sebastian Sylvester last year and is at the crossroads of a long and glorious career that began back in 1988.

Newly crowned WBF heavyweight champion of the world, Francois Botha, faces the German Oak, Timo Hoffmann, May 15 in Magdeburg, writes freiepresse.

IBF Intercontinental junior welter ruler Sergey Fedchenko headlines K 2 East´s next show, billed as “Golden Boxing II”, April 22 in Kharkiv. Opponent is most likely Spaniard Hector Moreira. Cruiser Vitaly Rusal, lightweight Valentin Golovko and junior welter Artem Ayvazidi are also on the bill.

Italian veteran Gianluca Branco has relinquished the European junior welter title and will move up to welter. It will be Brits Paul McCloskey, reigning British champ, and Junior Witter that clash for the vacant crown.

Cyrill Thomas, Jerome Thomas, Philippe Frenois and Guillaume Frenois, all family, fight on the same show May 14 in France at a site to be announced. Guillaume faces Spaniard Jesus Garcia Simon for the WBC Mediterranean junior lightweight title.

French junior middle Cedric Vitu, 24-1, headlines EuroProm´s show April 4 in Rosny-sur-Seine, and faces Austrian Gojko Knezevic for the vacant WBC Mediterranean title.

Polish heavy Mariusz Wach headlines Ochikara Gmitruk´s show April 24. Site is to be determined.

Karim Guerfi, reigning French bantam champ, fights Philipino Nino Magboo for the IBF Youth title June 12 in Dudelange, Luxembourg.

French welter Franck Harroche Horta, fresh off a points loss against Leonardu Bundu in Italy in a European Union title fight March 13, returns quickly and takes on Romaric Hignard April 4 in Villeurbanne.