By Marco Bratusch
As already revealed to the boxing fans few days ago, unbeaten European heavyweight beltholder Agit Kabayel (18-0, 13 KOs) is going to defend his belt against mandatory challenger and former European Union (EU) champion Otto Wallin (20-0, 13 KOs), from Sweden. The fight date is flipping from the beginning of February and the end of the same month, and it will headline an SES boxing show in Germany – with the specific location yet to be released. It will be the third defense of the European title for the physically strong 26-year-old Kabayel against a young, rangy southpaw as Wallin, almost aged 27.
Wallin’s former European Union (EU) heavyweight belt which became vacant weeks ago it was now put at stake for other two undefeated boxers as Croatia’s Petar Milas (13-0, 10 KOs) and Romania’s Bogdan Dinu (18-0, 14 KOs), as the EBU ordered, with the related purse bid set for November 21st. However, Dinu is already scheduled to fight Jarrell “Big Baby” Miller this Saturday in the United States being a clear underdog and Dinu might very likely end having another opponent matched soon.
Durable left-handed Russian boxer Igor Mikhalkin (22-2, 10 KOs) has been appointed as the new mandatory challenger for European light-heavyweight champion Dominic Boesel (28-1, 10 KOs), who successfully defended his title for the first time outpointing stablemate Enrico Koelling in Germany week ago. On paper, that looks to be another interesting, evenly matched contest for the prestigious EBU 175-pound belt.
Another SES Boxing fighter is expected to defend his title this Saturday as European super middleweight champion Robin Krasniqi (48-5, 17 KOs) is about to take on Spaniard Ronny Landaeta (16-0, 10 KOs), 35, former EU titlist, who stepped in to replace injured Stephan Haertel early this week. Krasniqi, aged 31, is much more experienced, looks to be the more skilled boxer and the favorite by the bookmakers but Landaeta was already in training camp to prepare another fight and may bring to the table some power. He is not looking to let Krasniqi spoil his still perfect record easily. The contest is taking place at the Anhalt Arena in Dessau, Germany, and televised by MDR.
Also this Saturday in Bilbao, northern Spain, European welterweight champion Kerman Lejarraga (26-0, 21 KOs) is defending his 147-pound title against official challenger Frankie Gavin (26-3, 15 KOs) in an MGZ-promoted card. However, Gavin apparently had some issues with his training regime during last week and was brutally overweight at the official weigh-in today, tipping the scale around 152 pounds, thus losing this opportunity no matter the verdict of the ring tomorrow night. Lejarraga, 24-year-old, is considered one of the best prospect and exciting all-out fighter in Europe at this point and was seen as a strong favorite regardless of Gavin’s weight issues that emerged later.
Cruiserweights Bilal Laggoune (24-1-2, 13 KOs), from Belgium, and unbeaten 23-year-old Australian Jai Opetaia (16-0, 13 KOs) are set to collide for Laggoune’s IBF Inter-Continental title on December 15th in Charleroi, Belgium, topping an Alain Vanackere promoted card along with another WBA sanctioned cruiserweight contest between Ryad Merhy (26-1, 21 KOs) and Samuel Clarkson (21-4, 14 KOs), to turn around a solid double-header.