By Per Ake Persson

Robert Helenius, # 12 in the latest WBA ratings, was well in control against Gbenga Oloukun Friday night in Helsinki when he injured his right hand. He won the fight but now needs surgery and will be out for at least two to three months. This kills a planned fight May 1 in Oldenburg and also a planned showdown against former WBA heavy champ Nikolay Valuev that Sauerland Event had set for Helsinki in June. Helenius, now 12-0, have been moved fast but have developed well.

 

Felix Sturm was ringside Saturday night in Hamburg on the big Arena show and received the belt from the WBA confirming his super champ status. As for future plans there are nothing confirmed. As for the WBA standard title we might see Gennadyi Golovkin vs Anthony Mundine but like Sturm, Golovkin is tied in a contractual dispute with Universum.

 

Belorus jr lightweight Sergey Gulyakevich will fight Nicaraguan Rene Gonzales in a WBC eliminator. According to a paper in Nicaragua WBC champ Vitaly Tajbert will defend the title May 29 against Humberto Rodriguez in a rematch and then take on the winner of Gonzales-Gulyakevich. There is neither date or site set for the eliminator though.

 

Frenchman Fabrice Tiozzo, age 40, has again made plans to comeback and eyes WBO ruler Marco Huck but there are no definite plans for fights yet. Tiozzo, 48-2, last fought in 06. He held at one time the WBC lightheavy title and the WBA belts at both cruiser and lightheavy.

 

Jr middleweights Nick Klappert and Koko Murat clash on the undercard to Kessler vs Froch on April 24 in Herning, Denmark. in an internal Sauerland stable eliminator. Also on the bill is heavyweight Edmund Gerber, who face Samir Kurtagic who upset Jens Krull last time out.

 

Hans Joergen Witte has been fired as trainer for the the Arena Box Promotion fighters. Witte trained among others Steffen Kretschmann, who lost to Dennis Bakhtov Saturday night in Hamburg. Kretschmann retired himself in the ninth round in what was a career defining fight.