Police and tax officials in Hamburg, Germany, have raided Arena Box Promotion's office, gym and also promoter Ahmer Oener´s home, reports Bild Zeitung. Officially there are no comments to what brought about the police activity. Bild writes that an anonymous source tipped the police of taxes not paid in time and attempts to evade tax. Oener even had to empty his pockets and according to Bild  even the computer of Oener's ten-year old step daughter was seized. Turkish heavy Sinan Samil Sam also figures in the investigation. Oener calls the razzia "pure harassment."  

Arena will go ahead with its promotion December 23 in Halle / Saale but now with Konstantin Airich vs Turhan Altunkaya for the German heavyweight title as co-headliner. Local matador Steffen Kretschmann suffered a foot injury and needs at least six weeks rest. Odlanier Solis-Francois Botha co-headlines.

Danish promoter, manager, matchmaker and advisor Mogens Palle, 73 years old and with 50 years in the business, was yesterday inducted into the Int'l. Boxing Hall of Fame in Canastota, New York. The press release from IBHOF correctly names Palle as European manager for Sonny Liston during the mid-sixties. Liston was however denied a work permit in Denmark and as it was fought and stayed in Sweden (Liston, by all accounts, led a very quiet lifestyle over here). Palle has also managed and promoted the likes of Chris Christensen, Tom Bogs, Borge Krogh, Jorgen Hansen, Hans Henrik Palm, Ayub Kalule, Mustapha Wassajja, Ken Buchanan, Jimmi and Johnny Bredahl, Gert Bo Jacobsen, Steffen Tangstad, Anders Eklund, Soren Sondergaard, Brian Nielsen, Thomas Damgaard and Mikkel Kessler - all top class fighters at least on a European level. Bogs, Kalule, Johnny Bredahl and especially Mikkel Kessler were - and in Mikkel's case still is - all world class performers. Palle also had his hand on boxing in Norway, Sweden and Finland mainly as manager or matchmaker.

It's almost here: Luan Krasniqi is now along with Aleksandre Dimitrenko co-challenger for the vacant EBU heavyweight title.

Newly crowned WBA cruiser champ Firat Arslan will undergo surgery to cure a problem with a hurting leg. Arslan should be allright come spring of 2008.

Panamanian welter prospect Azael Cosio will reportedly be signed to a promotional deal by Sauerland Event.

Massimiliano Morra and Emiliano Salvini fight for the vacant Italian super bantam title December 15 in Santa Marinella. 

Muzaffer Tosun defends the Int'l. German lightweight title against Nico Salzmann  December 22 in Berlin on Wiking Box Team's Christmas show at the Universal Hall. Thomas Troelenberg and Burhan Aycut fight for the vacant German middleweight title.