Photos and report by Wolfgang Schiffbauer
WBA middleweight champion Felix Sturm and challenger Ronald Hearns met for the final press conference in advance of their title bout on Saturday night in Stuttgart, Germany, yesterday at the Hilton Garden hotel. Both fighters were very respectful but promised victories. “He is a great boxer”, Sturm said. “But I’ll be going for the knock out. I promise an exciting show, I feel better than ever before. I believe that the fans will see the best Felix Sturm of all time.” Only a few tickets are left for the middleweight showdown, Sturm added. “I’m excited about fighting here [in Stuttgart]. The fans are really great.”
Ronald Hearns, son of boxing legend Thomas Hearns, seemed self-confident as well. “I certainly know that he is the best fighter I’ve ever faced but I intend to bring the belt my father owned in his time back to Detroit. I will silence my critics come Saturday night.”
Before facing each other in the ring of the Porsche Arena, the two combatants will meet in a public training session on Wednesday at the Stuttgart Airport (Terminal 3) at 1 PM local time and at the official weigh-in on Friday at the Palazzo Stuttgart (Mercedesstraße 50, 70372 Stuttgart) at 1 PM local time as well.
