Speaking with K2 Promotion’s Tom Loeffler this afternoon, the busy international boxing promoter to stars such as Gennady Golovkin and Wladimir Klitschko is in Germany tonight, as two of his other fighters Ola Afolabi and Cecilia Braekhus, apply their trades in big fights at at the Gerry Weber Stadium in Halle, Nordrhein-Westfalen.
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Tom told me that he expects momentum to be in Ola Afolabi’s favour this time around, when the pair collide for the fourth time tonight – when Ola faces long time rival Marco Huck.
Even though Huck has had the upper hand in their previous encounters, Tom believes fortune will favour Ola Afolabi (22-4-4-11KO) tonight when he takes on Huck (38-3-1-26KO) for the IBO world cruiserweight title:
“Its the first time that Afolabi is coming in as the champion, we just won the IBO title with the big knockout over Chakhkiev (last November), and Huck lost his title by knockout in his last fight – so its a lot different circumstances on both sides coming in. So we are exciting about Ola’s chances now as the champion to retain his title.”
He also pointed out that:
“All three fights were previously very close, one was a draw and the other two were extremely close, but I think Ola’s confidence with the win over Chakhkiev is higher than it’s ever been.”
Touching on another one of Tom’s boxers in action tonight in Germany, our conversation couldn’t have been completed without speaking about the supremely talented female boxing sensation that is Cecilia Braekhus (27-0-7KO).
Cecilia, often referred to as the ‘First Lady’ of boxing, is quite simply a phenomenal talent, that has proven to be near untouchable since turning professional back in 2007.
She is the first woman ever to hold five world championship belts at the same time in professional boxing. Tonight she puts all her welterweight straps on the line against Uruguay native Chris Namus (21-3-8KO).
(Meet the ‘First Lady’ of boxing via CNN YouTube):
Tom noted during our chat, that Cecilia is the only active professional boxer right now (male or female) that has all five of the major governing body’s belts (WBC, WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO).
Speaking on tonight’s fight and opponent Tom said:
“Chris Namus (Cecilia’s opponent) from Uruguay has fought for the world title twice. She is definitely a very tough competitor and Cecilia has been out for over a year now, so with any long break like that because of an injury, you never quite sure how you get back into the ring. But she has the same trainer as Wladimir Klitschko – Jonathan Banks, who has been working with her for the last six or eight months.”
He added:
“Cecilia was actually supposed to fight on the show with Tyson Fury and Wladimir (last November) but the injury was kind of nagging her a little bit, so she had to postpone that, so we then put her on this show here with Afolabi and Huck, so a lot of people are really looking forward to her getting back in the ring – and just continuing to defend all of her titles.”
For UK or Irish boxing fans looking to catch all the action from Germany tonight, you can watch it live on BoxNation TV from 7pm onwards.
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