By Alexey Sukachev

The blue belt - one designated for the best European boxer in his weight class - or, it's better to say, its heavyweight version, has been in ever-change mode since Alexander Dimitrenko lost it to Kubrat Pulev more than four years ago.

Holders have been changing, no one having defended it more than once. Names were repeating, however - Kubrat Pulev, Dereck Chisora, Robert Helenius. Up until now. Enters Agit Kabayel of Germany, the newly crowned European champion.

Kabayel, a refreshingly new and young name at 24, scored a workmanlike decision over big Belgian Herve Hubeaux over twelve rounds at the Maritim Hotel in Magdeburg, Germany.

Kabayel's punches were crisper and his was more active than his sligthly bigger opponent, specifically at the end of the fight, though Hubeaux was always game and willing.

His advantage was stoned in the final scorecards, reading as: 117-112 (by Erkki Meronen of FInland), 117-111 (by Andrey Baliasov of Ukraine) and 119-109 (by Jean Robert Laine of Monaco).

Both fighters were unrated by major sanctioning bodies coming into this fight. Kabayel improves to 16-0, 12 KOs, his biggest previous win being a TKO 3 over Samoan Lawrence Tauasa. Hubeaux, also 24, suffers his second career loss and gets down to 26-2, with 12 KOs.