All Sam Soliman. The 40 year old veteran landed 19 of 70 punches per round, to just 7 of 26 per round for Felix Sturm, which allowed the Australian veteran to capture the IBF middleweight championship with a wide twelve round unanimous decision in the beltholder's backyard.
Australia's Sam Soliman has won the IBF middleweight boxing title with a unanimous points win over Germany's Felix Sturm, in Krefeld, Germany. The 40-year-old Melburnian showed enormous reserves of fitness to dominate the fight. Americans John Poturaj and Don Trella both scored it 118-110 while their Polish colleague Miroslaw Brozio had him ahead 117-111.
König Palast, Krefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany - 40-year-old veteran Sam Soliman (44-11, 18KOs) did it once again, defeating Felix Sturm (39-3-2, 18KOs) with a dominating decision to capture the IBF middleweight championship. The scores were 1117-111, 118-110, 119-109 Last February, Sturm lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Soliman. Afterwards the result was changed to a "no-contest" after Soliman tested positive for a banned substance. Soliman has a very solid workrate and made things very difficult for Sturm, who landed the harder shots. Soliman overwhelmed Sturm at times with his high volume of punches and the German star was unable to turn the tide.
"Sturm will not want to repeat his first performance against Soliman in front of his own fans once again. Whilst I believe his win over Barker somewhat flatters to deceive I can't see Soliman being allowed to get into a rhythm this time. His awkward style will get him rounds but Sturm will be looking to punch holes in his opponent second time around and carry on from where he left off against Barker. I wouldn't be surprised to see a stoppage but I think Soliman will hear the final bell." - Shaun Brown (Sturm Dec.)
König Palast, Krefeld, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany - The weights are in for Saturday night, as IBF middleweight champion Felix Sturm (39-3-2, 18KOs) will defend his crown against Sam Soliman (43-11, 18KOs) in a rematch. Last February Sturm lost a twelve round unanimous decision to Soliman, but the fight was changed to a no-contest after the Australian boxer tested positive for a banned substance.
Felix Sturm's stern words are motivating Melbourne veteran Sam Soliman going into his rematch with the IBF middleweight boxing world champion in Germany this weekend. Soliman, 40, will step into the ring in Krefeld on Saturday looking to achieve the high point of a long professional career. Soliman outpointed Sturm last year in a non-title bout in Germany. However the German boxing commission altered the result to a no-contest after announcing Soliman had tested positive to an illegal stimulant.
Felix Sturm, IBF World Middleweight Champion: “I’m not mad or anything. I don’t care about that whole doping theatre anymore. He and his team have to live with that. He’s trying to play games once again but that doesn’t matter to me. I had a perfect preparation and I am in tip-top shape. Photos by Schiffbauer/Team Sturm.
Australian Sam Soliman believes the original result of his first fight with Felix Sturm still lingers in the IBF middleweight boxing champion's mind. Soliman is confident the German harbours some doubts ahead of their rematch next month. The 40-year-old outpointed Sturm in a non-title fight in Dusseldorf in February 2013, but the local German boxing commission the BDB (Bund Deutscher Berufsboxer), declared the bout a no-contest after announcing Soliman had tested positive for an illegal stimulant.
Sam Soliman has agreed to return to Germany for a world title fight against IBF middleweight boxing world champion Felix Sturm next month, despite the problems he had over a doping test after their last bout there. The title fight has been set for May 31, with the host city to be announced on Wednesday. Soliman, 40, says he has no qualms about going back and is ready to claim a first world title after going unbeaten for the past six years of his 17-year, 56-fight pro career.
Cologne - The Bund Deutscher Berufsboxer (BDB) informed Sturm Box-Promotion on Sunday that they suspended professional boxer Sam Soliman after he failed a post-fight doping test in his February 1 fight against former World Champion Felix Sturm in Dusseldorf, Germany. The official result will therefore be overturned from a unanimous decision win for Soliman to a “No Contest”. The forbidden stimulant "methylsynephrine/oxilofrine“ was found in Soliman’s A-sample after the bout. He was then offered the opportunity to open the B-sample. According to the regulations of the National Anti-Doping Agency (NADA), the agency in charge of testing for Sturm vs. Soliman, and the World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) the B-sample has to opened in the same laboratory (here: the institute for biological chemistry in Cologne, Germany) as the A-sample. This was at first denied by the Soliman camp and they afterwards confessed to drinking an energy drink containing the substance in play, which confirms the A-sample. They claim, however, that this happened without their knowledge.