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WBO KING MARCO HUCK BEATS OLA AFOLABI AGAIN

Huck leads 2-0-1 against Afolabi in their trilogy

By Per-Ake Persson

WBO cruiser king Marco Huck beat interim ruler Ola Afolabi on a majority decision after another hardfought no knockdown affair that was close with many rounds difficult to score and there was a wide disparity on the official scorecards. The judges had it 115-113 and a too wide 117-111 for Huck and 114-114. Only rounds one, five and nine went for Afolabi on the 117-111 scorecards while the 114-114 score indicate rounds one, three, four, seven, eight and eleven for Huck. On the 115-113 score we have rounds one through four for Marco, six, seven and eleven.

Most at ringside seemed to agree with that Huck had nicked it with his crude, but effective style of boxing. Afolabi worked well to the body and took over the fight midway but Huck went all out in the last to secure the round and one could tell by trainer Ulli Wegner´s face that he knew his man had won.

Next up is Firat Arslan, who many felt beat Huck the first time they fought.

Lightheav Robert Woge retained the IBF I/C title with a unanimous decision over Pole Dariusz Sek. It was scored 118-110, 117-110 and 114-113 for Woge, who floored his opponent in the first. Sek, a slick southpaw, outboxed the German at times and made him miss badly but Woge´s steady, one-paced pressure paid off and Sek tired and was under pressure at the end with a cut right eye and big gash on the left cheek after an accidental headbutt.

Supermiddle Tyron Zeuge outscored Spaniard David Sanabria over eight winning on scores of 79-72, 78-73 and 79-72. Sanabria took a beating but wasn´t hurt untl Zeuge found a home for his left hook but Sanabria came through the rough spots to last the distance.

Lightheavy Eduard Gutknecht won the vacant WBA I/C title with a clear unanimous decision over Ururguayan Richard Vidal. It was scored 120-108 twice and 119-109. Vidal was strong and kept coming but Gutknecht knew too much for him.

Sauerland´s big show at the Max Schmeling Hall kicked off with an explosive matchup between unbeaten cruisers Youri Kayembre Kalenga, 16-0, and Iago Kiladze, 20-1. "El Toro" Kalenga, from Congo but based in France, attacked with big hooks right from the start but Kiladze was able to keep his opponent at bay with straight punches. Kalenga, with Jo Kimpuani, an exellent fighter in his day, in the corner, kept coming and hurt Kiladze with a right hand in the second. Kiladze never recovered and later "El Toro" landed with a big left hook. Kiladze went down and was out of it and the referee dispensed with a count.

Cruiser Noel Gevor.moved to 7-0 in his debut for Sauerland and outscored Juan Manuel Garay over six. Garay, from Argentina, is not much of a boxer but gave Gevor tough workout and was coming on at the

end. It was scored 59-55 twice and 58-56.

Lightheavy, Enrico Koelling moved to 8-0 and got his first inside the distance win as he stopped fellow German Armin Dollinger, who didn`t come out for the fifth due to bad cuts over both eyes and a nosebleed. Koelling dominated the fight from the start and the fight was stopped on the advice of matchmaker Hagen Doering - and it was a correct call.

Next Sauerland show is August 24 in Schwerin with EBU lightheavy champ Juergen Braehmer headlining.

Juergen was ringside was a number of past and present boxers such as Graciano Rocchigiani, Yoan Pablo Hernandez, Denis Boytsov, Aleksander Alekseev, Oktay Urkal, Cecilia Braekhus, Karo Murat, Firat Arslan, Sebastian Sylvester, Rakhim Chakiev, Cecilia Braekhus and Kubrat Pulev.

By Per-Åke Persson