By Per Ake Persson
Sauerland Event have now officially announced WBA heavyweight champ John Ruiz´s defense against Russian Nikolai Valuev on December 17 at the 10 000-seater Max Schmeling Hall in Berlin. The Greatest, Muhammad Ali, will be ringside and daughter Laila will defend her title against Russian Angelika Torskaja. Ex-champ Evander Holyfield is slated for the show - if he passes the medical exams. According to Fight Faxm Holyfield is still under a suspension by the state of New York for "poor performance" and "detoriating skills" but it is an administrative suspension and not a medical one and Evander is thus free to fight elsewhere, even in the U.S.
Prior to the big December shows, Sauerland Event are in Hamburg November 12 with Sinan Samil Sam vs Oleg Maskaev in a WBC eliminator. The undercard feature cruiser Marco Huck against American Michael Simms. Super middle Danilo Haussler, the WBA I/C ruler, is back from another injury layoff in a non-title eight-rounder. Heavies Rene Dettweiler and Alexander Povetkin, jr middle Alexander Abraham and Cuban cruiser Yoan Pablo Hernandez are also on the bill. Well, let´s not forget Sebastian Sylvester´s defense of the EBU 160 lb title against Italian Lorenzo Di Giacomo and Alexander Sipos vs Jimmy Colas for the EU 154 lb crown.
Canadian site rds.ca writes that WBA supermiddle champ Mikkel Kessler will defend the title on either January 13 or 14 in Denmark. According to rds.ca, the parties involved are in agreement with the purse but the date remains an obstacle as the Danes want the fight Janaury 13 while Interbox, who has the Canadian TV rights, feels they will make a bigger profit on a Saturday. Lucas is not rated by the WBA but will get a special number 15 rating as former champ (WBC).
