Huck with WBO Super Champion Status in sight***
November 3 has a real treat in store for true boxing fans. Current WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco Huck (34-2-1, 25 KOs) and his challenger Firat Arslan (32-5-2, 21 KOs), a former WBA Champion, will meet at Gerry Weber Stadium in Halle/Westphalia, Germany. There are many reasons, why the matchup between the two Germans, promises to be an exciting one.
“The Gerry Weber Stadium feels like a second home to me,“ said Huck during Tuesday’s press conference at the arena. “This is where I became WBO World Champion and also defended my title for the sixth time. But this time around, I have a special goal in sight. If I should be able to defend my title for the tenth time, I will be awarded with the status of the WBO Super Champion.” If Huck is successful in his quest, he would be the first German boxer to do so. But that is definitely not going to be a walk in the park for the 27-year-old.
Huck: “I would have preferred not to fight Firat. He is a very nice guy on a personal level. I watched his last fights and I know that he is a really tough opponent.” Coach Ulli Wegner shares that opinion. “It is going to be an exciting fight. Marco always showed his class in Halle/Westphalia and boxed very clever. He became world champion here after beating Victor Emilio Ramirez and later on won a war against Ran Nakash. But it won’t be easy against Firat as he is physically very strong.”
The challenger from Suessen, Germany, was seemingly pleased with all those compliments. He is definitely planning on taking full advantage of this chance. “I have a lot of respect for Marco and the fact that he is willing to take me on inside the ring. The other world champions didn’t give me an opportunity. Marco has a lot of power in his punches, but I believe that I will be victorious. I am stronger than the punches thrown at me. I will give it my all,” said the 42-year-old.
Arslan: “I know that I can still mix it up with the guys at the top. I want to be the world champion once more. The only thing that is important to me right now is November 3. I am excited about every fan coming to the arena.
That will generate the atmosphere which such a great fight deserves.” The preparations for the title bout are already in full swing. “It is going to be a very emotional fight. Firat is extremely determined and convinced of his own abilities,” said Dieter Wittmann, the coach of Arslan.
Tickets for the fight on November 3 can be purchased on www.eventim.de and www.gerryweber-world.de.
As in September, I once again ran out of gas in the 10th & 11th championship rounds of October & November with this column, but I recovered to complete them and will unleash a few more flurries to close out the 12th and final round.
In the first week of October, Hassan N’Dam won a UD over Curtis Stevens in an eliminator for the right to challenge Jermaine Taylor who defeated aging Sam Soliman to regain the IBF Middleweight title. How Taylor even earned this title shot is another story altogether, but it is all irrelevant as he is now the champion. However he will not have too much time to savor his victory as he has assault and battery charges pending against him and an upcoming court fight that may turn out to be the toughest fight of his life, just when things started to look up for him in boxing, we wish him luck.
