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PERSSON'S EURO NEWS

06/09/2013 - 9.08.55

 

 

 

Euro News

By Per-Ake Persson

Undefeated EBU and WBC Silver light middleweight champion [Sergey Rabchenko] arrived today in the French city of Valence where he has started his physical preparation under the guidance of Nicolas Riffard.
 
Rabchenko will stay for four weeks with Riffard and will then travel to Manchester where he´ll carry on his preparations under the guidance of Richie Hatton.
 
Rabchenko, 24-0, makes his mandatory against Frenchman [Cedric Vitu], 35-2. Hatton Promotions won purse bids for the right to stage the fight and will announce date and site in the near future. Vitu lost a close, split decision in their
first fight.
 
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[Lennart Risberg] has passed away at the age of 78. Risberg is regarded as one of the best Swedish fighters in history and was hugely popular with his aggressive all out style. He won the Swedish and Nordic titles as an amateur in the 1950’s, participated in the 1956 Olympics before turning pro in 1958, a time when boxing was booming in Sweden with [Ingemar Johansson] heading for the World heavyweight championship. Risberg fought at lightheavy and drew with future world champ [Willie Pastrano] in Sweden in 1961 but lost to former champ Carl "Bobo" Olson in 1962. All in all Risberg went 25-3-4 as a pro and never fought for a title but had throughout his career problems with cuts and a work related eye injury. After his career Risberg continued to plug away as plumber and did well. His sole US appearance was on the undercard to second fight between Floyd Patterson and Ingemar Johansson and Risberg lost due a bad cut to Harry Wallitsch.
 
Per-Åke Persson