By Per Ake Persson
It´s official: Wladimir Klitschko defends the IBF, WBO and IBO titles against official (IBF) challenger Alexander Povetkin on September 11 at the Commerzbank Arena in Frankfurt / Main. Styles makes fights and this is an intruiging matchup with the agressive style of Povetkin vs the careful, patient boxing from the champion. In my eyes speed will win it and Klitschko got big advantages in size and reach as well. Both men hold wins over Eddie Chambers - with Wladimir winning easily while Povetkin had to fight hard to nick it down the stretch.
Spotlight Promotions in Malmoe, Sweden, stage their inaugural show September 10. The company is headed by 10-0 lightweight Shadi Hamsho, who also will appear in the main event. Hamsho hails from Malmoe but fought out of Los Angeles for all of his pro career. Shadi is now back home.though and hopes to revive proboxing and martial arts in the region.
Pugnus Box Promotions will promote a show in Karlstad, Sweden, September 24. It might be headlined by veteran jr middles Allan Vester and Cliff Soukka and heavyweights Andreas Gustavsson vs Claus Bertino, both bouts are Sweden vs Denmark encounters and good matchups but of little international significance. However, Pugnus have applied for longer distances and Vester vs Soukka is scheduled for eight three minute rounds and Bertino vs Gustavsson for 6x3. The Swedish Federation will now have to apply for special permission from the M artial A rts Delegation. As it is now the max distance allowed in Sweden is 12 minutes - and one should remember that the intention of the creators of the special m artial a rts law in this country was to keep professional boxing prohibited but after a change in politicial powers in 2006 - pro boxing "light" was allowed.
EE-EU heavyweight champ Yaroslav Zavorotny defends the title August 21 in Benidorm, Spain, against Vladimir Chanturia, from the Republic of Georgia but based in Ireland. In the co-headliner Lolenga Mock defends the EU crown against Robert Santos.
Bild in Germany writes that the much talked about fight between WBC champ Vitali Klitschko and Nikolai Valuev is off again as negotiations again have broken down. Instead Klitschko is now according to Bild talking with Shannon Briggs about a showdown.
It´s postponed again: Baltic Pro Box´s show in Kampala have been pushed forward again, this time from July 23 to August 28 and the reason is the terrible terrorist attacks, One of the main event fighters, "Minnesota Ice", Joey Abell, must have guessed something was up and fights at home this coming weekend. BPB began working on their show since late last year and have had it posponed several times by now.
Welterweight Patrick Bogere, 5-1, will take on Ghanian Phillip Kotey for the International Masters title September 5 in Wolverhampton. Bogere was according to many reliable sources robbed of the victory against much more experienced Young Mutley in his UK debut in April. Bogere fights out of Gothenburg, Sweden, and his managed by Jason McClory, from England, but living in Sweden.
