By Per Ake Persson
The undercard to Cunningham vs. Huck in Bielefeld on December 29 shapes up very interestingly: Jose Alfaro and Prawet Singchawa will indeed fight for the vacant WBA lightweight title in this German town with Don King Promotions and Sauerland Event joining forces. Polish cruiserweight Tomasz Adamek is also on for the show and take on Tiwon Taylor. At heavyweight Francesco Pianeta will again face tough Italian Paolo Ferrara. The records show a split win for Pianeta the first time around but most neutral observers at ringside had Ferrara well ahead.
Francois Botha is off the fight against Odlanier Solis on December 23 in Halle/Saale with Julius Long replacing him. Herbie Hide will fight Russian Mihaly Nasyrov for the vacant WBC Int'l cruiserweight title.
Former multiple light heavyweight and cruiser champ Fabrize Tiozzo has announced plans for a comeback. No concrete plans have been announced, Tiozzo is a freelancer and open to offers.
Ulf Steinforth's SES have made public a 750,000 offer for Laila Ali to face Natascha Ragosina, who come December 15 is likely to hold five world titles at super middleweight.
Newly crowned ABU lightweight champ Sam Rukundo lands at number fifteen in the latest WBC ratings. Rukundo, who like opponent Robert Osiobe weighed inside 135 lbs November 24 in Gilleleje, also won the UBO bauble that night - but not at lightweight. UBO insists Rukundo is their jr welter champ and have sanctioned Abdu Tebazalwa to fight for its still vacant lightweight "universal" title December 22 in Kampala, Uganda.
Mehdi Amar vs. Pierre Moreno and Kamel Belagchemi vs Hassan N'Dam fight in the first eliminators in the French version of the Contender January 24 at Cirque d' Hiver in Paris.
EBU super middleweight champ Cristian Sanavia and Danilo Haussler will do it again at a date to be announced. The two drew controversially in Basle on December 8. Sauerland Event promotes both.
Stefan Raaff and Rene Hubner fight tonight for the vacant GBC cruiserweight title in Cologne. Ex-pro Mario Guedes and his P4Pound Promotion stage the show.
