-Europe-

EBU lightweight titleholder Yuri Romanov retained the title last night in Minsk with a close, hard fought, unanimous decision over ever tough Italian Stefano Zoff. The 40+ Italian is now expected to retire.

It´s official: WBO light heavy champ Zsolt Erdei will face Panamanian Tito Mendoza November 24 in Dresden. Co-headlining is Firat Arslan vs Virgil Hill for the "real" WBA cruiser title. WBC Int´l supermiddle ruler Denis Inkin face Argentinian Martin Abel Bruer in the third titlefight on this Universum "Champions Night" promotion.

Promoters Michel Acaries and Hamid Zaim promotes a big show in Ardennes October 27 topped by EBU welter champ Jackson Osei Bonsu´s defence of the title against Frenchman Nordine Mouchi. On the undercard bantam Jerome Arnould returns after the loss to WBA king Wladimir Sidorenko and face Belgian Lorenzo Ledesma. Supermiddle Mehdi Amar is in against veteran Mike Algoet, also from Belgium.

Italian jr middle Michele Orlando square off against Brazilian Luiz Augusto Dos Santos for the vacant IBF I/C title November 30 in Palermo. In the chief support welter Leonard Bundu face Romanian Gheoghe Danut, who comes in fresh off a win over Swiss hope Riad Menasria. Local hero, the brave lightheavy-cruiser-heavyweight Paolo Ferrara is featured on the undercard. Boxe Loreni promotes.

British heavy Matt Skelton is now along with Ukrainian Aleksander Dimitrenko co-challenger for the vacant EBU title. Final date for purse bids or agreement is at noon November 22.

Cuban feather Yuriorkis Gamboa will now fight in Berlin on Friday and not in Hollywood, Florida, October 30. Opponent for Gamboa is Samuel Kebede, the former WBO challenger who is based in Stockholm, Sweden. Off the bill is heavyweight Konstantin Airich, who´s suffered an arm injury.

German heavy Francesco Pianeta is off P 3 Boxing´s show in Helsinki October 22 and have been replaced by another Sauerland fighter in Oleg Platov, who is in against unknown Awadh Tamim. Pianeta was to begin with replacing Sami Elovaara.

Danish supermiddle Mads Larsen is in against Emiliano Cayetano on the undercard to Byrd vs Povetking October 27 in Erfurt. Cayetano, from the Dominican Republic, is unbeaten but is virtually uknown. In an interesting heavyweight fight Rene Dettweiler clash with Miyan Solomons, who despite losing have fought well since arriving in Germany.

Polish welter Slavomir Ziemlewicz takes on Cristian Frias, based in the Netherlands, in a scheduled ten-rounder that headlines BoxingEurope´s show in Ilawa tomorrow, October 18.