BraggingRightsCorner.com - EURO NEWS (03-09-08)... by Per-Âke Persson

Christophe Canclaux

French jr. middleweight Christophe Canclaux is still waiting for his shot at the WBA title held by Joachim Alcine, who is now sidelined with an injury. Canclaux will stay busy with a fight lined up for either March 22 in France or will be on Sauerland's show in Neubrandenburg April 12.

Talented Russian jr. welter Sergey Sorokin goes for the vacant (Italian Giuseppe Lauri relinquished it) WBC Int'l title March 11 in Halle/Saale. Opponent is Kanat Kartenbaev from Kazachstan.

EBU flyweight champion Andrea Sarritzu defends against Frenchman Bernard Inom April 26 in Sassari with OPI 2000 promoting.

Official challenger for newly crowned EBU light heavy ruler Yuri Barashian is former WBA king Stipe Drews.

Adrian Diaconu vs Chris Henry for the WBC interim light heavyweight title will now go ahead April 19 with site remaining Bucharest. The show was originally scheduled for March 29.

Team Palle's response - in Danish only at teampalle.dk - to Warrior's aggressive press release where they claimed that Mikkel Kessler was afraid of facing Edison Miranda is basically a calm "there are ongoing talks." There's nothing decided yet on Kessler's next fight but Team Palle doesn't rule out that Miranda could be a future opponent this fall. Style wise these two shape up well with Miranda's aggression against Kessler's fine jab and good boxing.

German heavy Luan Krasniqi is at the crossroads in his career. First, he pulled out of the position as mandatory challenger for the vacant EBU title as there were plans made for a show with WBA champ and stablemate Ruslan Chagaev. As that fight fell through when the WBA didn't grant Chagaev permission for another voluntary defence, Krasniqi must probably stay busy in order to remain in the title picture and perhaps face the winner of Chagev vs Valuev. Luan has been inactive since losing a WBO eliminator against Tony Thompson in July of last year.

French veteran Alain Simon's career came to an end this weekend after a stoppage loss to Croatian Drazen Ordulj, a guy Alain stopped back in 2001. Simon was as brave as they come and while not good enough to beat the likes of Aleksander Petkovic, Vincenzo Cantatore or Krzysztof Wlodarczyk he always gave his all.

Spotlight Boxing promotes in Magdeburg April 19 with middleweight Sebastian Zbik and heavyweight Sebastian Koeber headlining. Slovenian welter Jan Zaveck, mandatory challenger for the EBU title, is also on the bill.

In Metz, France, Ann Sophie Mathis stopped Anna Pascal while cruiser Jean Marc Monrose took out German Marco Heinichen in the first round of a final tune up before challenging EBU champ Johny Jensen. Monrose takes on EBU champ Johny Jensen May 3 in Marseille.

Cuban cruiser, based in Berlin and promoted by Sauerland Event, Yoan Pablo Hernandez faces ex-WBC champ Wayne Braithwaite March 29 in Kiel in the chief support to Abraham vs Ayala. Hernandez has scored several quick wins of late, over decent guys as well, but has a tendency to fade if the fight drags out and Braithwaite will surely expose that - if it is enough to win is a different matter though.

It seems like we can look forward to Ruslan Chagaev vs Nikolai Valuev II sometime during the summer after the WBA turned down a request from Universum to do a Chagaev - Luan Krasniqi fight late April. The WBA has set April 3 as deadline for agreement or purse bids.

Russian Vyachslav Gusev and Ugandan, based in Sweden, Abdu Tebazalwa clash for the vacant WBA I/C featherweight title April 12 in Ekaterinburg.

German heavy Steffen Kretschmann faces Latvian Alex Kosobokovs March 11 at home in Halle / Saale.

Dario Cichello and Vincenzo Imparato fight for the Italian light heavyweight title March 15 in Pisa. Middleweight Luciano Abis is on the undercard.

Hassan Ssaku, reigning ABU champ at welter, face Albert Starikov in Narva, Estonia, March 22.

Stefania Bianchini and Simona Galassi clash for the WBC female flyweight title March 29 in Forli. Antonio Brancalion defends the EU lightheavy crown against Frenchman Karim Bennama in the chief support.

Danish jr middle Thomas Poulsen is in against Venezuelan Carlos Donquiz March 14 in Odense. Donquiz took out then unbeaten Reda Zam Zam on his previous visit to Denmark and Poulsen, 9-0 with no inside the distance wins and several close calls, is in very tough in this one. Donquiz is a battle-tested journeyman with a decent punch.

3-9-2008