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12/09/2006 Archived Entry: "Euro-Beat Update: Asloum-Lozano upgraded, Urkal to Fight Cotto & More!"
Euro-Beat Update: Asloum-Lozano upgraded, Urkal to Fight Cotto & More!
By Per Ake Persson
Courtesy of Boxing Press
The Brahim Asloum vs Rafael Lozano fight this past weekend in Berck, France, was originally set to be at 108 but was "upgraded" to be at flyweight a week before the fight. Asloum won on a tko in four rounds effectively ending the career of the now 36-year old Spaniard. In a supporting bout EBU supermiddle champ Deviya Gogiya outscored Jackson Chanet and may next defend the title against Mger Mkrtchian, whom he beat to win the title. Mkrtchian will return to action later this month or early in January.
WBA eternal # 1 challenger at welter Oktay Urkal will now finally get the chance to challenge for the title, now held by Miguel Cotto. The fight will take place sometime early next year.
Swiss welter Riad Menasria takes on Ukrainian Vladimir Khodakovski on BoxingKing´s show in Bern December 26. Middleweight Yves Studer fights Vladimir Borovski, also from the Ukraine.
The growing Arena Box Promotion in Hamburg have signed up heavyweight Konstantin Airich, who will make his debut December 15 in Hamburg. Arena already have heavies like Juan Carlos Gomez, Sinan Samil Sam, Goran Gogic and Steffen Kretschmann under contract.
The fight for the EBU title at welter between Frenchman Nordine Mouchi and Belgian Jackson Osei Bonsu will go ahead in France in February of next year.
The Rocchigiani brothers, Ralf and Graciano, will both be present at P4P:s promotion in Aachen December 9. Graciano will work the corner of middleweight Mike Ermis, who trains at Rocky´s gym in Duisburg. The Rocchigiani brothers go back all the way to the late 80´s with P4P´s boss Mario Guedes and shared the bill on many shows.
Jadgar Abdulla has dropped out of his showdown against fellow Dane Ervis Masha that was set for Team Palle´s show December 15 in Slagelse. Abdulla´s excuse a bit out of the extra ordinary though: he´s too busy preparing Christmas food at his restaurant in Aarhus. Mogens Palle don´t pull any punches: "We will never use Abdulla for any of our shows again".
Abdulla had a contract pending with Frank Maloney but was released from it when he - due to his restaurant business - was unable to relocate to the UK. Who Masha will face isn´t known yet. Johny Jensen face one Samson Ajayi and Anders Hugger take on Jose Manuel Barreira, both fights are at cruiser. Also off the bill is supermiddle Rudy Markussen, who also parted ways with longtime trainer Poul Duvill. It seems that Rudy had a heated sparring session with Brit Paul David and couldn´t take it anymore after four rounds. As Duvill insisted that Markussen should complete the scheduled six-round session the fighter refused and Duvill notified Rudy he wouldn´t be training him anymore. Had Markussen done his job against Sergey Tatevosyan October 14 he would today been co-challenger along with Robert Stieglitz - as it is now he face a long way back.
The EBU will hold its extra General Assembly February 3 in Brussels. At that meeting a new chairman for the organisation will be elected to take over after the late Ruben Martinez. At the council meeting in Paris December 3 it was decided to open a title for boxers from the countries outside the EU but still members of the EBU such as Russia, Ukraine, Switzerland, Israel, Norway, Republic of Georgia, Belarusia, Moldova, Bosnia and Serbia.
EBU feather champ Cyril Thomas will again take on Ukrainian Yuri Voronin with the winner to face Dane Spend Abazi (depending on how Abazi´s plans for a world title shot work out). Thomas and Voronin fought to a technical draw in November. The deadline for purse offers or agreement are January 9 at noon.
