By Per Ake Persson
Vasteras, Sweden - Mikaela "Destiny" Lauren (23-3) won the vacant WBC female super welterweight title with a majority decision over American Aleksandra Magdziak Lopes (10-3-2) after ten rounds of boxing in the headliner of Rapid Promotions?s show at the ABB Arena Nord. It was scored 96-94 twice and 95-95.
Lauren was overall too strong for the more skillful Lopes and forced the action in a fight with a lot of holding and ineffective mauling on the inside.
Local hero Benjamin Kalinovic (10-0-0-1) won the vacant WPBF European welterweight title with a controversial six round unanimous decision over French veteran Frank Harroche Horta (35-14-5). Harroche Horta, a smart, slick boxer who lacks power, is often involved in close, difficult to score fights and this was another but the Swedish judges
came up with 59-55, 59-56 and 58-56 for Kalinovic - and the first two are simply out of line. I had it 58-56 for Harroche Horta, was off to his customary slow start but upped the pace and outworked the Swede in many round but lost the last round clearly. Under the special rules that apply to professional boxing in Sweden ten ounce gloves are used
in all weight divisions and that certainly play a part in a fight with two non-punchers.
Heavyweight David Loy (7-1) returned to action and won a four rounder over Frenchman Julien Guibaud Ribaud (9-10-3). It was scored 40-36 on all cards but the stocky Guibaud Rimbaud made Loy work hard for his win.
Super middleweight Hassan Saku (12-10) also came back and made an excellent start against Pole Bartlomiej Grafka (10-14-1) flooring him twice in the first. The second knockdown came at the bell and as Grafka went down he pulled referee Ake Johansson with him and while Bartlomiej got up and returned to his corner Johansson stayed down and eventually had to leave the ring and was replaced by Mikael Hook. Saku then faded and Grafka came on strong but lost on scores of 38-37 on all cards after four.
Heavyweight Gunnar Koledinn Kristinsson from Iceland turned pro and won a unanimous decision over Latvian Janis Ginters (5-8) after four. Koledinn is the first fighter from Iceland to fight professionally in Europe.
In two fights with debutants only the local heroes won their fights: welter Mohammed Saleh stopped Alexandre Giordano from France in the third while lightheavyweight Victor Fabretto overcame a third round knockdown to outscore Przemyslaw Pikulik after four.
