By Marco Bratusch
During last weekend, three European titles had their awaited realizations across Europe in distinctive boxing events.
Historically speaking, the most important card took place in Fuenlabrada, Spain, under the Rimer Box banner, where former IBF world title Kiko Martinez (39-8-2, 28 KOs) reached the remarkable accomplishment of becoming a four-time, two weight class European champion as he edged former beltholder Marc Vidal (11-2-5, 5 KOs) over twelve rounds.
Eleven years have passed after Martinez won the continental belt for the first time, stopping local idol Bernard Dunne in Dublin in the opening stanza. The Martinez-Vidal was a rematch of their previous encounter which occurred last May when an accidental clash of heads ended the contest via third round technical draw. Also this time, the contest was a heated, all action affair with both men trading blows at mid-range all night but Martinez’s power and skills from the inside proved to be too much for Vidal to retain his title. Martinez won decisively on all three cards, despite the brave Vidal’s opposition: 118-110, 118-111 and 117-111. On the undercard, former European challenger Mariano Hilario (17-7, 8 KOs) unexpectedly lost via fifth round TKO against little-known Adan Silvera (10-1, 4 KOs), from Canaries Islands, Spain.
In Weissenfels, Germany, light-heavyweight Dominic Boesel (28-1, 10 KOs) defended his European 175-lbs title for the first time using his superior slickness and boxing skills to outmaneuver SES Sports Events’ stablemate and fellow countryman Enrico Koelling (26-3, 8 KOs), a former opponent of current IBF world title Artur Beterbiev. The bout topped a SES Sports card, and main event’s scorecards were 115-113, 118-111 and 116-113 all in favor of Boesel.
In Vesoul, France, the vacant European bantamweight belt was at stake for co-challengers Georges Ory (10-2-1, 1 KO) and Josh Wale (27-10-2, 13 KOs). The first and local boxer was granted a close majority decision victory after twelve rounds but the decision left some observers’ eyebrows doubtfully raised. Scorecards were 115-113, 116-113 and 114-114. The bout was very competitive regardless, with the southpaw Ory building up an early lead boxing smoothly and the gritty Brit Josh Wale coming back strong in the second part of the fight.
Next Saturday, November 3, in Wagen, Germany, European Union (EU) junior welterweight champion Florin Cardos (19-1, 8 KOs) is going to defend his belt for the first time in a voluntary defense against Timo Schwarzkopf (18-2, 10 KOs) in the main event of another SES Sports Events card. The 30-year-old is a Romanian rangy left-handed boxer who sharpened his skills basically boxing all around Europe and several times in United Kingdom. However, Schwarzkopf is an experienced, steady aggressor who has arguably faced better opposition in Junior Witter and Anthony Yigit, thus the bout appear interesting and Cardos’ night is not expected to be an easy one.