Huck Focuses Attention on Moving Up, Facing Klitschko

WBO cruiserweight Marco Huck has said he wants to step up to the heavyweight division to face Wladimir Klitschko, who holds four of the five world title belts. Huck, 29, defended his WBO crown with a sixth round knock-out of 43-year-old challenger Firat Arslan in Stuttgart on Saturday.

Huck wants another shot at a heavyweight title and his coach Ulli Wegner has said his fighter will be a champion in the division by the end of the year.

“My desire is to fight against the best in the world. And I hope the chance to fight Klitschko will now finally come,” Huck told SID.

Huck has already had a shot at a world title – when he lost on points to Russia’s Alexander Povetkin for the WBA heavyweight belt in February 2012.

“When I’m in top shape, no one in the world can beat me,” insisted Huck.

“Neither at cruiserweight nor at heavyweight. I can only beat myelf.”

Huck tried to convince the doubters that he was capable of taking on the 37-year-old Klitschko.

“Why not?,” he asked.

“The last 30 no-names he has already fought all lost against him, but I have already fought battles that people want to see.

“They want to see a Huck show because they know that at any minute, anything can happen.”

Huck’s performance in Stuttgart backed up his words as he took control of the fight from the fourth round, then unleashed a devastating volley of punches in the sixth.

He put Arslan on the canvas twice before the referee stepped in to stop the bout with more than a minute of the round left.

Beating Arslan, who suffered the eighth defeat of his career, and dethroning Klitschko are two entirely different propositions and Huck will need the performance of his career.

Huck will be giving away four inches in height (10 cms) and having weighed in at 199.5 pounds (90 kgs) for Saturday’s fight, he would need to bulk up.

Klitschko weighed in at 241 pounds (109kgs) for his unanimous points win over Povetkin in Moscow last Octber.

But the Huck camp are certainly talking themselves up.

“Marco will be a heavyweight champion by January 1 2015,” said Huck’s trainer Wegner.

“But we are not a one-man operation and have it all cleared with our management.”

With Vitali Klitschko’s WBC heavyweight title now vacant after his move into Ukrainian politics, Huck could well challenge for the title.

And Wladimir Klitschko, who holds the WBA, WBO, IBF and IBO belts, has vowed to keep the WBC title in the family.

http://www.boxingscene.com/huck-focuses-attention-on-moving-up-facing-klitschko–74047

By Jake Donovan –

Upwards of 100 media outlets were represented during the final press conference for the upcoming cruiserweight title fight rematch between Marco Huck and Firat Arslan. The in-ring Civil War between the German cruiserweights has quickly evolved into a massive event, with more than 10,000 fans expected in attendance for Saturday’s show at Hanns-Martin-Schleyer Halle in Stuttgart, Germany.

Huck (36-2-1, 25KO) makes the 12th defense of the cruiserweight belt he won more than four years ago. Several of his defenses have resulted in disputed outcomes, including his first fight with Arslan in Nov. ’12. Few gave Arslan, 42 years old at the time, much of a chance, but the perceived hand-picked challenger offered the performance of his career, only to come up short in the end.

Their rematch was supposed to take place last September, only for Huck to suffer a hairline fracture on his left elbow, forcing the postponement. Given the turnout for the final presser, strong ticket sales and the fight being televised in over 60 countries, it appears that anticipation has made the hearts of German boxing fans grow fonder.

“Without exaggeration I can say that in terms of media interest, this is the biggest all-German fight since Henry Maske and Graciano Rocchigiani (who met twice in 1995),” insists promoter Kalle Sauerland. “Words have flown around the stage at (Wednesday’s) press conference. On Saturday, fists will be flying inside the ring. The first fight was spectacular and I expect the same again on Saturday night.”

With the postponement of the rematch, each fighter only saw one ring appearance in 2013.

Arslan has since returned to the win column, scoring a 10-round decision in a stay-busy fight last April. However, the stay-busy factor didn’t quite serve its purpose; the challenger has since turned 43 and will be nine months inactive come Saturday evening.

None of that has diminished his belief that his destiny will be fulfilled.

“I believe in justice,” Arslan (33-6-2, 21KO) says of Saturday’s rematch. “As fate would have it, justice was not given to me in the first fight. On Saturday I will finally get some justice.

“Marco can talk all he wants but at the end of the day this won’t help him at Schleyer-Halle – all the fans will see this on Saturday.”

Huck’s lone bout and title defense on the year came in a third fight with Ola Afolabi, scoring a narrow decision in their title fight last June to go 2-0-1 in their series. All three of their bouts were closely contested, all resulting in Huck leaving the ring as champion.

The 29-year old envisions the same scenario playing out Saturday evening, this time in a far more conclusive manner.

“I am the champion and I will still be champion after Saturday night,” Huck promises. “Although Firat has unmatched stamina, he cannot box and I will prove that on Saturday.

“My preparations have been excellent. From the start of my training I have had to miss a lot of parties and for that Firat must pay. I am looking forward to an unforgettable show.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/?m=show&opt=printable&id=73947#ixzz2rKsqUiC5

WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck, and former beltholder Firat Arslan, went face to face at the final press conference for this Saturday’s highly anticipated rematch at Hanns-Martin Schleyer-Halle on January 25, 2014 in Stuttgart, Germany. At the press conference, both boxers promised to be victorious. Huck vowed to repeat the outcome of their 2012, where he won a twelve round unanimous decision. Many felt the outcome was highly controversial, especially Arslan, who vows to make things right by not allowing the champion to make it to the judges.

http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-huck-arslan-face-face-final-presser–73890

By Jake Donovan –

Some 15 months after their first fight, Marco Huck and Firat Arslan are chomping at the bit heading into their cruiserweight title fight rematch, which takes place January 25 in Stuttgart, Germany.

Huck, a long-reigning cruiserweight titlist, was considered fortunate to escape with his crown still intact during their Nov. 2012 clash, which saw the then-42 year old Arslan deliver a surprisingly strong performance only to come up short on the cards.

“I am feeling like the world champion since my first fight against Marco, which I actually won,” Arslan stated during media day last week in Germany. “Now it is time to collect my belt from him.”

Ever the competitor, Huck didn’t take too kindly to the suggestion.

“Dream on, Firat – I am the champion,” Huck (36-2-1, 25KO) bluntly states. “But as I am not heartless, I did make a picture of my belt and signed it with a personal dedication for you.”

Huck is set to hold media day on Tuesday in Germany while putting the final touches on preparation for his 12th title defense of a reign dating back to Aug. 2009. Despite his struggles in their first fight, Huck, 29, believes the night served as one last great performance from his middle-aged challenger and that the rematch will set things straight.

“My stamina as well as my physical strength is reaching new heights. My explosiveness is unquestionable and I also advanced in terms of technique and tactics,” Huck insists. “Firat Arslan cannot have a better performance than in our first meeting. With 43 years of age, his career (has reached its best)… while I am in my prime.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/huck-dismisses-arslans-uncrowned-champion-claims–73555

By Luke Furman –

WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck (36-2-1, 25KOs) is still hungry to win a title in the heavyweight division. In February 2012, Huck moved up to the heavyweight division to face WBA “regular” heavyweight champion Alexander Povetkin. Unexpectedly, Huck made it very competitive and came very close to taking Povetkin out in the later rounds. He went on to lose a close twelve majority round decision, and following the fight he dropped back to cruiserweight.

Two fights later he faced tough veteran Firat Arslan (33-6-2, 21KOs) and won a controversial twelve round unanimous decision. They are going to do it again on January 25th in Stuttgart, Germany. If Huck is successful, he wants to work his way to another heavyweight title shot by the end of the year.

“I’m still dreaming of the heavyweight division. It’s quite possible that I’ll be fighting in the premier division, for a title, by the end of 2014,” Huck said.

http://www.boxingscene.com/marco-huck-wants-another-heavyweight-shot-next-year–73048

WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck (36-2-1, 25 KOs) suffered a hairline fracture in his left elbow during his last sparring session in advance of his September 14 rematch with Firat Arslan in Stuttgart, Germany. “I’m totally disappointed,” said Huck. “I was in such good form and now the complete preparation was in vain.”

Huck will be out of action for between six and eight weeks. Whether the fight card will go on or not will be decided on Monday. Sauerland Event Managing Director Chris Meyer said, “We are currently exploring what alternatives are possible for the fight evening on September 14.”

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/marco-huck-injured-no-decision-yet-on-status-of-stuttgart-boxing-event-225002

There is some unfinished business between Marco Huck (36-2-1, 25 KOs) and Firat Arslan (33-6-2, 21 KOs). On November 3 of last year the two fighters squared off at the Gerry Weber Stadion in Halle/Westphalia, Germany, for the WBO Cruiserweight World Championship. Back then Huck won a close decision on points. However, Arslan saw himself ahead after the full twelve rounds.

“In our mind, this battle is a question of honor,” said Chris Meyer, Managing Director of Sauerland Event during Thursday’s press conference. “Both boxers saw themselves as the winner. But there is an easy way to end this debate, a rematch. That way Huck as well as Arslan now have the opportunity to prove who deserves to be called world champion.”

Although the cruiserweight fight of the year got a bit feisty at times, champion and challenger never forgot their sportsmanship. “Last year I underestimated Firat. That won’t happen again,” said the 28-year-old. “I did prove my worth against Afolabi just a few weeks ago. Whenever I train hard and give it my all, no cruiserweight can stop me. I am aiming to prove that once again on September 14.” Huck also believes that it won’t turn out to be a disadvantage for him, that the second fight will be close to the challenger´s home. “I have always said that I will take on anybody, anytime, anywhere. Others would have probably waited longer to face Arslan again. But I wanted to get it on as soon as possible, so that this topic is over and done with.”

And the 42-year-old Arslan, who in boxing terms isn’t they youngest anymore,  is happy to have another opportunity to win a world championship. “I am very excited that we will be fighting in Stuttgart,” said the former WBA Champion. “However, that wasn’t my decision. I would have fought him anywhere in the world. In my eyes it is more important that I got another title shot.” The former champion is convinced that this time round he will leave the ring victories. “If I perform as well as I did last time, and the judges are open-minded, I will take the WBO Belt back home with me.”

Tickets for the big fight night at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle on September 14 can be purchased at www.eventim.de , www.easyticket.de and www.boxen.com

http://www.boxingscene.com/photo-huck-arslan-go-face-face-rematch-presser–67773

Team Sauerland can finally confirm that the hotly anticipated rematch between Marco Huck (36-2-1, 25 KO´s) and Firat Arslan (33-6-2, 21 K.o.´s) is official. The WBO Cruiserweight Champion takes on his mandatory challenger at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle in Stuttgart, Germany. The pair will once again trade blows on September 14 in a fight that promises to be a real cracker.

Last time round, the two Germans met on November 3. Back then Huck won by a disputable unanimous decision (115-113, 115-113 and 117-111) at the Gerry Weber Stadion in Halle/Westphalia, Germany. Right after their thrilling encounter Arslan demanded a rematch.

“I still believe that I won our first fight. I should be the world champion”, said the former WBA Titlist who lives close to the city of Stuttgart. The 42-year-old cruiserweight recently defeated Varol Vekiloglu and therefore made the WBO mandatory status his own. “I won’t let my second chance to capture the crown just slip away. This is a fight right on my own home turf.”

For Huck, the second outing against Arslan is a question of honor. “I understand that Firat is disappointed. I was in the same position after I fought Alexander Povetkin. I saw myself as the winner in that match-up but the judges didn’t. That is exactly why I always said that I would give Firat a rematch even if he wasn’t my mandatory challenger.”

Frederick Ness, managing director of Team Sauerland, is also excited about the constellation of the championship bout. “This is one of the fights that was right at the top of every boxing fans wish list. Their first bout was full of drama and excitement. That is why I cannot wait for September 14.”

Tickets for the big fight night at the Hanns-Martin-Schleyer-Halle in Stuttgart, Germany will be available from this coming weekend onwards at www.eventim.de, www.easyticket.de and www.boxen.com.

http://www.boxingscene.com/huck-vs-arslan-rematch-finalized-september-14th–67550

After his convincing win over Ola Afolabi on Saturday, WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck feels ready for a rematch against mandatory challenger Firat Arslan, who was watching from ringside. “I want to give the fans some even more spectacular fights and prove that I am able to beat everyone in convincing fashion,” said Huck.

Recarding the Afolabi fight Huck stated, “Today, I proved that I am first and foremost a boxer and not just a warrior inside the ring. This time, I was in tip-top shape – unlike to last year’s clash with Afolabi, where I was nowhere to my current level of fitness. I was focused on the task ahead of me and it showed.” Huck’s trainer Ulli Wegner agreed, commenting “I can only praise Marco for this win. The way he fought from the beginning to the end was close to a perfect performance of him. Afolabi might be the more refined boxer of the two but tonight he lost against the better man and the better strategy.”

Afolabi stated, “I gave my best but it wasn´t enough. Huck is the rightful winner as I have no excuses at all.” His trainer Fritz Sdunek was also disappointed: “I thought that Ola might pull the fight around in round ten but Marco upset our plan.”

http://www.fightnews.com/Boxing/marco-huck-eyes-rematch-with-firat-next-205402

By Sauerland Promotion –

Marco Huck is still the WBO Cruiserweight World Champion. Before a massive crowd of 5,000 spectators at Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany, he beat the previous interim titleholder Ola Afolabi. It was not the win itself that was so surprising but the way the 28-year-old achieved it. Throughout the whole twelve rounds he showed a disciplined performance and won on points by scores of 117:111, 115:113 and a confusing 114:114. After a short-lived feeling-out it was the defending champion who took control with eye-catching combinations, which rattled his challenger. Afolabi tried to tire out Huck, by aiming for the German´s body most of the time but without much effect. Instead it was the Briton, who tired late in the championship rounds. Besides putting his well-known warrior’s mentality on display, Huck was counter-punching Afolabi for most of the fight.

“Today, I proved that I am first and foremost a boxer  and not just a warrior inside the ring,” said Huck after the fight, his eleventh defense of the WBO Title. “This time, I was in tip-top shape – unlike to last year’s clash with Afolabi, where I was nowhere to my current level of fitness. I was focused on the task ahead of me and it showed.”

Huck’s coach Ulli Wegner agreed with his prodigy: “I can only praise Marco for this win. The way he fought from the beginning to the end was close to a perfect performance of him. Afolabi might be the more refined boxer of the two but tonight he lost against the better man and the better strategy.”

“I gave my best but it wasn´t enough. Huck is the rightful winner as I have no excuses at all,” Afolabi confirmed afterwards, his third loss in 25 fights. His coach Fritz Sdunek was also disappointed: “I thought that Ola might pull the fight around in round ten but Marco upset our plan.”

Huck, who now has 36 victories to his name, feels ready for a rematch against mandatory challenger Firat Arslan, who was watching from ringside. “I want to give the fans some even more spectacular fights and prove that I am able to beat everyone in convincing fashion.”

http://www.eastsideboxing.com/2013/huck-outclasses-afolabi-in-decisive-victory/

Date: Saturday, June 8, 2013

WBO Jr. Heavyweight Championship Title

Location: Max Schmeling Halle, Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany

Promoter:  Sauerland Events/Wilfred Sauerland

Referee:  Eddie Cotton

Judges:   John Madfis, Deon Dwarte, Lahcen Oumghar

Supervisor:  John Haandelar

Result:   Marco Huck retained WBO Jr. Heavyweight Title against Ola Afolabi by Majority Decision with scores 117-111 (John Madfis),  115-113 (Deon Dwarte),  114-114 (Lahcen Oumghar)

Marco Huck retained his WBO cruiserweight title by beating Ola Afolabi in Berlin on Saturday night.

The German won on a majority decision in the third meeting against the challenger from England.

South African judge Deon Dwarte scored the bout 115-113 in favour of Huck. John Madfis of the United States had it 117-111 but there was some surprise at the Max-Schmeling-Halle when Lahcen Oumghar of the Netherlands scored it 114-114.

The champion did not look overly troubled and improved his record to 36-2-1, including 25 knockouts. Afolabi dropped to 19-3-4, with 9 knockouts.

Huck also retained his belt on a majority draw in May last year and beat the Briton on a narrow unanimous decision in May 2009.

“Today, I proved that I am first and foremost a boxer  and not just a warrior inside the ring,” said Huck after the fight, his eleventh defense of the WBO Title. “This time, I was in tip-top shape – unlike to last year’s clash with Afolabi, where I was nowhere to my current level of fitness. I was focused on the task ahead of me and it showed.”

He has made 11 successful defences of the title he won from Victor Emilio Ramirez in 2009.

http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-huck-overcomes-afolabi-trilogy-showdown–66425

The weights are in for Saturday’s trilogy showdown between WBO cuiserweight champion Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25KOs) and mandatory challenger Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9KOs), which takes place at Max Schmeling Halle in Berlin, Germany. The champion stepped on the scale and came in at 198.6-pounds, while Afolabi was 197.5. Huck won a close twelve round decision in 2009 and they fought to a twelve round draw in 2012. Both fights were wars and another one is expected in the third meeting.

http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-weights-marco-huck-vs-ola-afolabi-trilogy–66337

By Ian Aldous: Ola Afolabi (19-2-4) will challenge Marco Huck (35-2-1) for a third time on Saturday June 8th with the WBO world cruiserweight belt up for grabs. The first two fights saw bouts that were very difficult to score, the second so close that it was in fact a majority draw.

Not only was it close, it was a contender for fight of the year in 2012. Last week Ola and K2 Promotions managing director, Tom Loeffler, took some time to talk with me about the upcoming fight.

It’s not often that a fighter prepares for a bout having already spent 72 minutes in the ring with that particular opponent.

To know your opponent so well counteracts the fact that he knows your style so well. It’s interesting how a fighter approaches a trilogy-making fight, “It’s easier mentally because we’ve done it, like you say, two dozen times before and put on a good show. I feel like he’s always come to each fight at his peak, with everything he’s got. It’s just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what I have to bring, and I’m bringing everything this time.”

At the end of the second fight on May 5th of last year, we’d witnessed a magnificent twelve rounds that saw both fighters stunned but neither on the mat. It was clear to everyone that it was a close fight. Immediately after the final bell, what was Ola thinking? “My immediate thoughts were that if it was close, I’m gonna get robbed. And I knew it was close, I just thought they gonna rob me right away even without hearing anything from anybody. If a fight’s this close in Germany, you’re not gonna get the decision. I was surprised to get the draw, but I was also shocked they didn’t rob me. Everything happens for a reason, we’re here to get it done and we’re gonna end this beef that we have.”

So, with the third fight less than a week away, it begs the question: can Ola Afolabi get a decision over Marco Huck in Germany? “You know, this time I actually think the pressure of the knockout is not as important as the first two fights, because I feel Huck has had two gifts (hometown decisions) back-to-back and the whole world is watching. At one point it was just a fight going down in Germany and they can do whatever they wanna do, but now, I don’t wanna toot my own horn but it’s become like a worldwide fight, people are talking about it. Mainly because the first two fights were good and Huck has got so many gifts and everybody is complaining. I’m not naïve in saying ‘I can totally win on points’, I’m gonna go for the knockout but it’s not gonna be the defining point to make of this fight. I’m just gonna go to win and if a knockout comes, it comes. I really don’t think I need a knockout to win.”

One of the more surprising aspects in the run up to this fight came in the form of Don King winning the purse bids for the fight, despite the fact he doesn’t promote either fighter. According to K2’s Tom Loeffler, it was an inconvenience that didn’t really surprise him. “It went to purse bids and we thought it wasn’t a real, legitimate bid because Sauerland has a TV deal in Germany and we have a TV deal in Germany. I think Don got involved and then was trying to put the fight together and at the end of the day, it just became a delay with the fight. There’s no real setbacks because that just gave Ola some additional time to train and right now, when I watch him sparring and in training, he’s the best by far that I’ve ever seen him.” Ola continued where Tom left off, “It was a surprise that he came into the purse bids because I didn’t know he had anything to do with either fighter.” The postponement of the fight is something that Ola believes he has taken a benefit from. “This is an advantage for me because I had more time to work on my game and I’m still learning as I go. It’s a learning process every day. I’ll still be learning until the night of the fight, so anytime that I get to work on my game is a good thing.”

Despite the fact that Huck has suffered one defeat as a cruiserweight way back in 2007 to Steve Cunningham for the IBF belt, it’s arguably true that Afolabi has been the fighter to trouble Huck the most in his career as a 200lbs fighter. “I don’t need to sound all cocky and all but I actually do believe that. He’s had some tough fights with Lebedev and Firat Arslan beat him like everybody knows (Huck won by a controversial decision). With Firat, he really wasn’t scared of his power, Firat just had his number and the style to defeat him and unfortunately he didn’t get the result. When he fights me, even though he’s very explosive, he knows that in the first round I had him hurt so bad, I just couldn’t finish him.” He continued, “The only person that’s knocked him out was Cunningham and that was because of exhaustion in the last round. So, if you look at all his fights, I’m the only person that’s actually physically hurt him bad. I know he respects that, same way I respect that he’s a top fighter. If he doesn’t respect that he’d just be a fool and he’ll regret it come June 8th.”

Due to the severe test of their previous fight, it wouldn’t have been a surprise to many fans if Huck and his team would have looked to avoid settling the feud with Afolabi – thankfully the WBO mandated the fight. “If this fight wasn’t mandatory, trust me, Huck could say whatever he wants to say to the newspapers and magazines that he’ll finally destroy me in his hometown of Berlin and all that, but if it wasn’t for the mandatory fight, they’d rather fight somebody else. They’d rather give Firat a rematch than fight me because my style presents trouble for him. He pretty much had to take this fight. When he goes on radio and talks about how he’s putting money in my pocket, this guy’s a fool, he doesn’t know how the rating system works. I fought my way back up after I lost in 2009, took me three years to get back to a position to fight him and they robbed me and I’m still mandatory because I kept my (interim) belt. We’re gonna do it again, so he’s not putting money in my pocket, if anything he’s taking money away from my pocket because I won that last fight and I should be getting the bigger cut of the purse. But that’s over and done with and we’re gonna deal with that this time.”

Huck vs. Afolabi III will be shown live on Boxnation in the UK this Saturday night.

http://www.boxingnews24.com/2013/06/ola-afolabi-talks-about-trilogy-making-world-title-challenge-against-marco-huck/

World Boxing Organization (WBO) President Francisco “Paco” Valcarcel announced today the referee and judges who will work this Saturday in the cruiserweight world title fight between the champion Marco Huck and the interim champion Ola Afolabi, to be held at the Max Schmeling Halle in Berlin, Germany. The referee is Eddie Cotton from United States. Judges will be John Madfis from United States, Deon Dwarte from South Africa and Lahcen Oumghar from The Netherlands. The WBO supervisor for this fight will be John Handelaar.

Huck and Afolabi have collided two times. In their first fight, Huck beat Afolabi by unanimous decision on December 5, 2009, while on May 5, 2012, the second bout between Huck and Afolabi ended in a majority draw.

http://www.fightnews.com/page/2

Photos by Photo Wende –

Champion and challenger are ready for war on June 8! Saturday night will see Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25 KOs) take on Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 KOs) for the third time. After winning their first matchup and drawing the second, the current WBO Cruiserweight Champion is hoping to close the chapter Afolabi once and for all, when they square off at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany. During today´s public workout both fighters made it clear, that their confidence is sky high ahead of the big fight.

The first one to show off his set of skills was Afolabi. After some rope skipping and hitting the pads with his coach Fritz Sdunek he addressed the media in attendance. “Fritz Sdunek got me into the best shape of my life. So far ahead of every fight, I was either physical or mentally fit. However, this time round, I have hit top form in both aspects. Now, I am the total package!” Sdunek agreed with his prodigy. “Under my guidance, Ola learned the meaning of discipline. That will make the difference come Saturday.”

Next to step into the ring was the champion himself. And although this was just a workout session, Huck made it obvious that he was not messing around. The punches connecting with the pads held by his coach Ulli Wegner seemed to be meant as a message to the watching Afolabi. “I hope he understood what I was doing there. Afolabi will get to feel the best combinations inside the ring on Saturday,” said the 28-year-old. Ulli Wegner got straight to the point. “We will keep the belt in Berlin!”

Also showing off some of their abilities where light heavyweights Robert Woge (11-0, 10 KOs) and Eduard Gutknecht (24-2, 9 KOs) who will also be competing for international honors in the main support on June 8.

Tickets for the big fight night at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany, are available at www.eventim.de and www.boxen.com.

http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-marco-huck-ola-afolabi-ready-trilogy-war–66260

By Jake Donovan –

Ola Afolabi has come up short in each of his two attempts at wresting the cruiserweight crown from Marco Huck. The British cruiserweight hopes the third time is a charm when the pair meet once again on June 8 in Germany.

Their rematch last May ended in a draw, also serving as Afolabi’s last ring appearance as he has been out of the ring for more than a year. The tie verdict was debatable but generally viewed as a fairer outcome than was the case in his disputed points loss to Huck in Dec. ’09.

“It was extremely tough,” Afolabi (19-2-4, 9KO) admits of his efforts to live with the outcome of last year’s bout. “Towards the end of (the fight), I lost my focus. That allowed (Huck) to get back into the bout. My mental preparation ahead of the fight was not ideal and that took its toll back then.”

Not leaving anything to chance for their third fight, Afolabi decided to make changes in his training camp. The 33-year old trained in Big Bear with noted trainer Abel Sanchez, the first time in his career he has spent significant time preparing in the California location wildly popular in boxing circles. He has since shifted camp back to Germany to properly acclimate for next weekend’s showdown.

“[Training] has been really good,” Afolabi said of his preparation for next weekend’s title challenge. “I have started my preparations back in November of last year. I went to Big Bear in California to work on my conditioning, which I have also been working on while we were staying in Zinnowitz, Germany. If I compare my current fitness level to previous camps, it is a difference of day and night.”

Ring rust is a concern, though not as much as his admission of having spent the better part of the past six months in the gym preparing for this fight.

However, Afolabi insists that burnout is of no concern and that the workouts have been properly spaced out.

“No, there is no danger whatsoever,” Afolabi insists. “I have mostly been working on my conditioning by running a lot as well as on my mental strength. Sparring only started a few weeks ago. I will be at my best when I step into the ring come June 8

“A big difference is that I have changed my diet. I am eating properly and take vitamin supplements. I quit eating Cheeseburgers and other junk food and have turned to healthy food instead. It makes a huge difference. I could make the weight for the fight right now. So by not having to make weight I can concentrate on my training and keep my focus.”

Afolabi’s workouts have been well documented in the media, a development that played out by design.

“I am very proud of myself and the way the preparation has been going so far. I want my fans to know, that I am not just talking but backing it up. It also keeps me motivated when the supporters give me a positive feedback.  Moreover, I am only posting photos of my progress.

“I do not talk about my sparring and I do not go into detail. All it does is that it should motivate Huck. He knows that I am ready. So he better be ready himself.”

The trilogy with Huck (35-2-1, 25KO) marks the London-born Afolabi’s ninth consecutive appearance in Europe after having spent the first six years of his career in the United States. Their first fight back in 2009 served as Huck’s very first title defense.

http://www.boxingscene.com/afolabi-made-many-adjustments-huck-trilogy–66101

By Alexander Pavlov –

WBO cruiserweight champion Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25KOs) sent a few verbal jabs in the direction of WBC heavyweight champion Vitali Klitschko. Huck is going to face Ola Afolabi in a trilogy bout on June 8th at the Max Schmeling Halle in Prenzlauer Berg, Berlin, Germany. But what Huck really wants to do is face Vitali or his younger brother Wladimir Klitschko. Huck moved up to the heavyweight division early last year and lost a controversial decision to WBA “regular” champion Alexander Povetkin.

“Look, Vitali wanted to fight with David Haye, but now he is afraid of him. Klitschko knows that battle would be very dangerous for him. Honestly, I would not advise [Vitali to face me]. He repeatedly ran away from me. In addition, there is a political conflict over the television rights between ARD and RTL. My management team offered Klitschko good money, but they refused. What else is there to say? If they want to fight, I’m ready! I’m a fighter who is ready to fight,” Huck said.

http://www.boxingscene.com/huck-vitali-afraid-david-haye-ran-from-me-too–65965

War of words during first presser ahead of WBO World Championship –

There is definitely no love lost. Britain´s Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 KOs) did say he would hug and shake hands with his opponent Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25 KOs) after their WBO Title Fight on June 8 at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany – but the attending members of the press were not really convinced after the pair´s previous war of words during Monday’s press conference.

Before Afolabi started his attempt to calm things down, current WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco “Captain” Huck and the Interims Titlist were involved in a heated exchange of words. The first one to trade verbal blows was the 28-year-old German. “Afolabi is starting to get on my nerves. I beat him in December 2009. After I fought Alexander Povetkin for the WBA Heavyweight Crown, it was difficult for me to find the right motivation for my rematch with Afolabi in May last year. However, I believe that I actually won that bout, even though it was scored as a majority draw. That won’t happen again. I will win in my own backyard. We won’t be playing cat and mouse anymore. This will be a war – I won’t be holding back.”

That was the cue for Afolabi to start his own rant. “Huck shouldn’t be able to call himself world champion anymore. In my opinion, he lost on three previous occasions. He lost against Lebedev, he lost against me and also against Arslan. He should only be able to call himself German Champion or Champion of Berlin,” said the 33-year-old. The Brit stated that he is planning to humiliate Huck in front of his own fans. “I would be ready to take him on this weekend.” Then Afolabi directed his next words directly towards Huck. “Everybody knows that I have always been a good technician, but now my fitness level is also excellent. I will seriously hurt you come June 8. You will need a wheelchair after the fight,” said the Los Angeles based cruiserweight.

It is obvious that there is a lot of tension in the air, also partially due to the duel between the two most popular and respected coaches of German boxing. Once again Ulli Wegner (Huck´s coach) and Fritz Sdunek (works with Afolabi) will stand in opposite corners.

http://www.boxing-online.com/en/news-archive/news-details/article/huck-vs-afolabi-gets-heated.html

Intense preparation ahead of Afolabi fight key for successful title defense?

The wait for Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25 KOs) is almost over. On June 8, the current WBO Cruiserweight Champion will lace-up his gloves for the very first time in his home city of Berlin, Germany after two and a half years on the road. The 28-year-old will take on interim-titlist Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 KOs) at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in his eleventh defense of his belt and the third against the Brit.

“All good things come in threes”, said Huck, who is currently in the hot phase of his preparations. “So far Afolabi hasn’t been able to find a way to beat me and it won’t be any different this time round.” And of course the prodigy of Ulli Wegner wants to prove that he does not just talk the talk but also walks the walk. Hence, he will not be holding back during this week’s training as the sparring has just begun.

“We have laid down the foundations. Now we are waiting to see if Marco is able to stick to the tactics we worked on when he is under the pressure of sparring”, explained coach Wegner. “Afolabi will present a difficult challenge, partially due to Fritz Sdunek standing in his corner. However, I’m sure that we have the best sparring partners possible.”

The fact that he is fighting in his own backyard makes the third encounter with the Brit even more special for Huck. “I’m so excited to be back in Berlin and I want to give the boxing fans in Germany´s capital a real spectacle,” promised the champion. “That is why I will be giving it a 100 percent during my preparation. The spectators inside the Max-Schmeling-Halle have a real barnburner to look forward to.”

http://www.boxing-online.com/en/news-archive/news-details/article/sparring-for-huck.html

The wait for Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25 KOs) is almost over. On June 8, the current WBO Cruiserweight Champion will lace-up his gloves for the very first time in his home city of Berlin, Germany after two and a half years on the road. The 28-year-old will take on interim-titlist Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 KOs) at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in his eleventh defense of his belt and the third against the Brit.

“All good things come in threes”, said Huck, who is currently in the hot phase of his preparations. “So far Afolabi hasn’t been able to find a way to beat me and it won’t be any different this time round.” And of course the prodigy of Ulli Wegner wants to prove that he does not just talk the talk but also walks the walk. Hence, he will not be holding back during this week’s training as the sparring has just begun.

“We have laid down the foundations. Now we are waiting to see if Marco is able to stick to the tactics we worked on when he is under the pressure of sparring”, explained coach Wegner. “Afolabi will present a difficult challenge, partially due to Fritz Sdunek standing in his corner. However, I’m sure that we have the best sparring partners possible.”

The fact that he is fighting in his own backyard makes the third encounter with the Brit even more special for Huck. “I’m so excited to be back in Berlin and I want to give the boxing fans in Germany´s capital a real spectacle,” promised the champion. “That is why I will be giving it a 100 percent during my preparation. The spectators inside the Max-Schmeling-Halle have a real barnburner to look forward to.”

http://www.boxingscene.com/marco-huck-promises-real-barnburner-with-afolabi–65508

There is definitely no love lost. Britain´s Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 KOs) did say he would hug and shake hands with his opponent Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25 KOs) after their WBO Title Fight on June 8 at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany – but the attending members of the press were not really convinced after the pair´s previous war of words during Monday’s press conference. Photos by Photo Wende.

Before Afolabi started his attempt to calm things down, current WBO Cruiserweight Champion Marco “Captain” Huck and the Interims Titlist were involved in a heated exchange of words. The first one to trade verbal blows was the 28-year-old German.

“Afolabi is starting to get on my nerves. I beat him in December 2009. After I fought Alexander Povetkin for the WBA Heavyweight Crown, it was difficult for me to find the right motivation for my rematch with Afolabi in May last year. However, I believe that I actually won that bout, even though it was scored as a majority draw. That won’t happen again. I will win in my own backyard. We won’t be playing cat and mouse anymore. This will be a war – I won’t be holding back.”

That was the cue for Afolabi to start his own rant.

“Huck shouldn’t be able to call himself world champion anymore. In my opinion, he lost on three previous occasions. He lost against Lebedev, he lost against me and also against Arslan. He should only be able to call himself German Champion or Champion of Berlin,” said the 33-year-old. The Brit stated that he is planning to humiliate Huck in front of his own fans. “I would be ready to take him on this weekend.” Then Afolabi directed his next words directly towards Huck. “Everybody knows that I have always been a good technician, but now my fitness level is also excellent. I will seriously hurt you come June 8. You will need a wheelchair after the fight,” said the Los Angeles based cruiserweight.

It is obvious that there is a lot of tension in the air, also partially due to the duel between the two most popular and respected coaches of German boxing. Once again Ulli Wegner (Huck´s coach) and Fritz Sdunek (works with Afolabi) will stand in opposite corners.

Tickets for the big fight night at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin Germany on June 8 are available at www.eventim.de.

http://www.boxingscene.com/photos-huck-afolabi-face-face-heated-presser–65243

German cruiserweight Marco Huck successfully retained the WBO title for the 10th time with a unanimous-decision win over compatriot Firat Arslan on Saturday.

The decision was greeted by a chorus of boos, as the crowd felt the 42-year-old Arslan had done more than enough to beat a man 15 years younger.

“This fight was the biggest scam that I’ve ever seen. It’s a disgrace,” Arslan’s coach Dieter Wittmann said.

Arslan, a southpaw, forced the initiative throughout and rocked the defending champion with a left uppercut to leave him with a bloody nose in the second round.

Huck finished the third with a flurry of punches to rouse the crowd and he responded again in rounds seven and eight, but the elusive Arslan appeared unbothered, even raising his arms in triumph after the ninth.

Arslan’s intensity dropped slightly then, and Huck was compelled to finish strongly before the judges awarded it 115-113, 115-113 and 117-111.

Former WBA cruiserweight title holder Arslan, who dropped to 32-6-2 (21 KOs), was furious.

“I’ve never experienced anything like this decision. I’ve seldom landed so many clean punches and he only scuffed me,” Arslan said. “How can such a thing happen? This kind of thing is ruining boxing.”

http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/sport/archives/2012/11/05/2003546925

Date: November 3, 2012

WBO  Jr. Heavyweight Championship Title Bout

Location: Gerry Weber Stadium, Halle, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany

Promoter: Sauerland Events

Supervisor: Itsvan Kovacs

Referee: Celestino Ruiz

Judges: Paul Thomas (115-113), Mickey Vann (115-113), Giustino Di Giovanni (117-111)

Result: Huck won by unanimous decision