By Per Ake Persson
Middleweights Khoren Gevor and Gustavo Magallanes clash for the WBO I/C title on the Halmich vs Reid show in Magdeburg, on December 3. Touted debutant Vitali Tajbert gets a soft touch in Slovakian Robert Zsemberi.
WBF 168 lb king Stjepan Bozic´s defense against Argentinian veteran Julio Caesar Vazquez should have taken place on November 19, but was postponed and will now go ahead on December 2 with the site remaining in Zadar (Croatia). Light heavyweight Ivica Cukusic will take on Alfredo Limonta on the undercard.
WBA super middleweight titleholder Mikkel Kessler is stepping down in training for his January 14 defense in Copenhagen against Eric Lucas. Stepping down? Well, it´s reported that the champ is so far ahead in his schedule that he is in danger of burning out and will now take a short vacation before stepping up in gear again.
Laila Ali will now face Asa Sandell, 3-1-1, from Sweden on December 17 in Berlin in a non-title ten-rounder writes Helsingborgs Dagblad. Sandell takes the fight on short notice as replacement for Ukrainian Anzhelika Torskaja . The 38-year old Sandell, signed to Rock & Sock Promotions, will prepare at home in Malmo. Sandell will not be the only Scandinavian on the show as Norwegian jr middleweight Nikita Dubunin, 2-0, also has a spot on the undercard. It´s a big chance for the 19-year old Dubunin to make a name for himself as Norwegian TV will televise the show that is headlined by WBA heavyweight champ John Ruiz vs Nikolai Valuev.
