By Per Ake Persson
Hamburg, Germany - Kazach cruiserweight Issa Akberbayev (15-0) won the vacant GBC (Global Boxing Council) with an easy first round destruction of Argentinian Ruben Angel Mino (25-2) in the headliner of Venetis Promotion´s show at a packed Braamkamp Sporthall. On paper it looked like a solid matchup but in reality it was a huge mismatch as Mino showed up a good 40 lbs overweight and had nothing. Akberbayev floored his opponent three times for a stoppage at 2.36 of the very first round.
Next up for Akberbayev could be a fight in Panama for the WBC Silver title. Issa is promoted by GGG Promotions and GGG himself, Gennady Golovkin was ringside. This fight should have been televised to Kazakhstan but the deal fell through at the last moment.
Super welterweight contender Sebastian Formella (8-0) looked sharp in outscoring tough German-based Italian Pietro D´Alesio (11-20-1) to win the vacant GBC I/C title. It was scored 100-90 twice and 99-91. Formella was too quick for D´Alesio and scored with ease but could never hurt his durable opponent.
Ghanaian middleweight Omat Jatta (16-10-1) won the vacant GBC crown with a split 12-round decision over veteran Turgay Uzun (39-25-2) after an sloppy but hard-fought and exciting fight. Jatta forced the fight, worked hard but was seldom effective and Uzun was able to smother him and countered at times well. But it wasn´t enough and Jatta won a deserved decision on scores of 116-111 and 114-113 with a third vote for Uzun at 115-112. Uzun was down in the fifth.
Cruiser Mohammed Soltby (7-0) outscored Marcel Erler over six (11-14-2) and showed a good jab and neat boxing. He´s trained by former WBC cruiserweight king Juan Carlos Gomez.
And yes, Dane Robert Larsen made his pro debut 13 years after announcing it the first time and stopped Czech Bohuslav Jano (1-10) in the second of a scheduled four rounder. Larsen is now retired but one never knows.
