TalkingBoxing News
Ulrich, Dimitrenko, Menzer and Samil Sam Headline Universum Event
THU February 23 - On April 8, 2006, Universum Box-Promotion returns to the city of Kiel in the very north of Germany at the Baltic Sea with an event at the huge Ostseehalle - two years after the German promoter last hosted an event at that location.
Headlining will be four fighters of the Universum and Spotlight stables: Thomas Ulrich, Ina Menzer, Sinan Samil Sam and Alexander Dimitrenko.
Former two-time European light heavyweight champion Thomas Ulrich, 28-2 (19), will step into the ring for the first time since his dramatic WBC world title fight against Tomasz Adamek on October 15. In a highly spectacular battle Ulrich lost to the reigning title holder by sixth round knockout but gave an impressive display of guts and skills.
In his 31st professional fight the member of the German Olympic team 1996 will face Henry Saenz, 12-2-1 (9), from Costa Rica.
„I’m back with full motivation and I’ve already been training for a couple weeks“, Ulrich said, who has switched back to his old coach Torsten Schmitz. “It’s real important to me that my coach is with me throughout my preparation. Mr. Timm couldn’t because he has a large number of other fighters.”
Ulrich believes he learned his lessons from his unsuccessful world title fight.
„Of course Adamek was a top fighter. I didn’t do enough boxing and moving. Instead I pressed forward all the time. I should have fought on a distance and not stay so close permanently that all punches landed like mad.”
Ulrich shortly considered moving to the cruiserweight division but dropped the idea.
„I stay below 175 pounds since I’m 18. Now I’m 30 and sometimes it has become more difficult to stay inside this limit. But to move to the cruiserweights would basically be only an act of laziness. And the new class limit of 200 pounds is too high for me anyway.”
Ulrich did already have a look on his Caribbean opponent.
„Saenz won nine of his twelve victories by knockout. This means he can punch a bit and I have to pay attention to that. I did already have a look on a video tape. From outside he doesn’t look so quick. But once inside the ring things can suddenly look completely different.”
In the heavyweight division another former European champion wants to resume his career. Sinan Samil Sam, the “Bull of Bosporus”, takes on Brazilian champion George Arias, five months after dropping a unanimous decision to Oleg Maskaev in a WBC eliminator in Hamburg.
The 31-year-old Turk already slimed down ten kilogram for his comeback and believes that in case of victory he has good chances to reascend the WBC rankings.
„One more fight and I want to be in the top mix again”, Sam, 24-3 (15), said with confidense. “Currently I’m ranked WBC number seven. But shortly there will be a lot of movement in the WBC’s top-10. Some people will drop out which is why my seventh rank may be as good as a fourth rank.”
Former IBF heavyweight youth world champion Alexander Dimitrenko wants to enter the next stage of his still young professional career. After turning 23 last July the man with the nickname „Babyface“ vacated his youth title and continued to mix it up with the adults, decisioning former two-time world title challenger Vaughn Bean in September.
Due to an injury that he suffered in sparring Dimitrenko had to cancel a fight on January 7 and underwent ellbow surgery in December.
“I’m glad that I can now train with no pain at all”, Dimitrenko, 20-0 (12), said. “My canceled fight in January was a great disappointment. But now I’m looking forward to an upcoming year with hopefully many great victories for me. I’m waiting for my managers and my trainer to arrange the next steps for me.”
As usual a feast for the eyes will be WIBF featherweight champion Ina Menzer. The 25-year-old German boxing beauty just moved from Mönchengladbach to Hamburg and will make the second defense of the title that she took from Silke Weickenmeier last October.
“I’m glad things are about to begin”, Menzer, 12-0 (6), said. “The training camp in Hennef was highly intensive and I already feel in very good shape.”
Menzer’s challenger is Maribel Sanatana from the Dominican Republic.
In another woman world title fight Universum’s Julia Sahin, 14-0 (2), will challenge for the WIBF jr. flyweight title.
Paul Malinaggi Calls Out Miguel Cotto
THU February 23 - Fresh of his most impressive performance as a professional during which he displayed lightning-like quickness, ice dancer dexterity and a lethal combination of punches, DiBella Entertainment's Paulie "The Magic Man" Malignaggi has thrown down the gauntlet at WBO World Junior Welterweight Champion Miguel Cotto.
"Miguel Cotto has been getting his chin checked frequently," said the "Magic Man," who upgraded his record to 21-0 with his drubbing of Donald Camarena at Foxwoods Resort Casino on February 10. "He's been wobbling and going down. I have the speed and skills to finish the job. I will check his chin for good."
Malignaggi is eyeing a June 10 date at the Mecca of Boxing, Madison Square Garden, for a showdown with Cotto.
"The 'Magic Man' will make Cotto's title disappear," added the Brooklyn brawler. "He wants to come to the Garden, but no one comes into my building, in my city, and impresses in my weight class. If you want to see the best junior welterweight in the world, it's me. If he wants a boxing lesson, I will give it to him on June 10."
Malignaggi wrapped up by saying good luck to Cotto in his next title defense: I wish Cotto all the best on March 4th. I hope Cotto is prepared and does well against Branco because he’s going to have his hands full when we get it on June 10th at the Garden.
Shobox Open Media Workout "Prince" Gabi
THU February 23 - One night before SHOWTIME offers the Jeff Lacy-Joe Calzaghe showdown, America’s No. 1 Boxing Network will continue to commemorate its 20th anniversary of televising world-class match-ups with an excellent world title fight Friday, March 3, on “ShoBox: The New Generation’’ (11 p.m. ET/PT on SHOWTIME, delayed on the west coast).
In a battle of hard-hitting, exciting flyweights, unbeaten IBF champion Vic Darchinyan (24-0, 19 KOs) will defend against IBF No. 4 contender Diosdado Gabi (26-2-1, 19 KOs) from Chumash Casino Resort in Santa Ynez, Calif.
Darchinyan has won six consecutive bouts by knockout. Gabi, who has never been stopped, has won 12 in a row (eight inside of the distance). Here is what the challenger had to say Wednesday.
DIOSDADO GABI
“I have waited five years for this opportunity and I am ready to fight. I am very eager and excited. I am confident and in great shape. I feel I have the style to win the title.
"I respect Darchinyan and know he is a strong, powerful puncher. He hits like a featherweight. I have a lot of knockouts on my record, but I don't have the one-punch power that he has. Nobody does.
"I feel I have good boxing ability and that is what I plan to (showcase) against Darchinyan. To stand and exchange would be a mistake. That’s what he wants. I am not a runner, but I am faster than he is. I plan to use my speed to give him angles. I want to be elusive and make him work to catch up to me.
“Darchinyan is very confident and already looking past me, but he has some weaknesses and technical flaws that I believe I can capitalize on. I am very comfortable with my strategy and confident in my ability to outbox him.
"This fights means so much, not just to me but for my family and everybody from my hometown of Davao City in the Philippines. They have never had a world champion. It makes me proud to know that I have the whole city behind me for this fight. There are people there praying for me to win. They are so supportive of me. It makes me work harder. I train six days a week. I do 564 sit-ups a day.
"I left my wife and young son behind when I came to the United States last August to pursue a world title. I think about them all the time. I worry a lot about them. I worry they will run out of food. We come from a very poor family. My father is a fisherman. All we eat sometimes is what he catches. I try to send them as much money as often as I can.
"Twice, I was promised world title fights but they were postponed. I wish this fight was today and not next week. "I am so grateful for this opportunity. It is going to be a great fight on SHOWTIME. In my heart, I know I am going to win. But if I don't, I promise that I will leave everything in the ring.''
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