Virchis, Menzer presser!
Four important bouts on Krefeld card

January 30, 2008

Photos: Marianne Müller

The March 8th "Universum Champions Night" at the KönigPALAST in Krefeld, Germany will present female world champions Ina Menzer and Alesia Graf in world title defenses, plus heavyweight contender Vladimir Virchis and cruiserweight Rudolf Kraj in important WBC eliminators.

Menzer and Virchis spoke about the card at a press conference held today in the Business Club at the arena.

"This is the most important fight in my professional career," said the WBC #1 rated Vladimir Virchis (24-1, 20 KOs). "A major step forward in the direction of a world title. I feel strong mentally and physically and feel convinced I'll win this fight."

Virchis, the hard-punching former European heavyweight champion, is tentatively slated to face #2 rated former WBC cruiserweight world champion Juan Carlos Gomez (43-1, 35 KOs), although the Gomez camp has said Gomez may not be ready by the scheduled date. There has been talk of another contender stepping in. Stay tuned.

WIBF featherweight world champion Ina Menzer (19-0, 8 KOs) will face unbeaten Sandy Tsagouris (7-0, 3 KOs) from Canada. "I am really happy to box here in Krefeld," she said. "It's a very special fight for me as its almost right outside my front door.

"Naturally I'm very motivated. We are still in training camp at Sölden [an alpine ski resort in Austria] and feel like the mountain goats in the snow. Training without snow shoes leaves us sinking up to the hips in the snow – but that will make me especially fit. I'm looking forward to facing my unbeaten opponent from Canada."

In a second female world title fight on the card, WIBF/GBU super bantamweight champion Alesia Graf (19-1, 8 KOs) will defend her title against an opponent to be named.

It was also confirmed that WBC #2 cruiserweight Rudolf Kraj (13-0, 10 KOs) will collide with #1 ranked Matt Godfrey (16-0, 9 KOs) in a battle of unbeatens to determine the mandatory challenger for WBC/WBA cruiserweight champion David Haye.

In other bouts, super middleweight Eduard Gutknecht (11-0, 6 KOs) takes on Valentin Antonio Ochoa (17-6-1, 7 KOs), and heavyweight Gbenga Oloukun (14-0, 9 KOs), banatamweight Zsolt Bedak (8-0, 2 KOs) and jr bantamweight Magdalena Dahlen (7-0, 3 KOs) will face opponents to be named.

Tickets are available now at:
Universum Ticket Hotline: +040- 696 559 59
CTS-Event Hotline: +01805-5 70 000
KönigPALAST Krefeld: +01805 57 00 75
And at all usual ticket outlets.