The Cyber Boxing Zone Newswire (Feb15, 2000)

This week two Turkish boxers will be in the limelight in German boxing circles. The super heavyweight amateur world champion Sinan Samil San will arrive in Hamburg to begin his training at the Universum Box-Promotion gym whereas German-Turkey Oktay Urkal prepares for a European title shot next Saturday.

The 25-year-old Sinan Samil San from Ankara will arrive on Tuesday in his new future home of Hamburg. The 6-foot-3, 100 kg (220 lb.) man will train at the gym at Walddörferstrasse together with six reigning world champions and will meet an old friend and rival – Wladimir Klitschko, who he lost a decision to in the amateurs.

In the 1999 world amateur championships in Houston Sinan Samil Sam beat Mikhtarkhan Dildabekov from Kazakstan in the finals to become the world amateur champion in the super heavyweight division.

Sam concluded his amateur career with a record of 217 wins and 18 losses.

At the same time Sam´s undefeated countryman Oktay Urkal will be completing his training for his fight next Saturday, February 19, in Berlin. The 30-year-old Urkal will face Russian Mikhail Krivolapov in a contest for the vacant European super lightweight title.

"He is a strong fighter, very quick and mobile", Urkal said about his Russian opponent. "Fortunately my last opponents were quick as well. So I feel well prepared. I'm excited for the big arena and for my German and Turkish fans in Berlin."

The European title was vacated by Den Thomas Damgaard, a man who Urkal defeated in the 1996 European amateur championships. Urkal went on to reach the finals and become European champion in the amateurs. Now he will fight for the same title in the professionals.

Urkal was born in Berlin and owns both, the Turkish and the German citizenship. He speaks both languages fluently. Urkal, 23-0 (8 KOs), is the WBC international champion. He defended his title thrice successfully. The 1996 Olympic silver medallist is ranked WBC #2,  IBF #6 and WBO #1.

[Return to Top]