March 27, Hamburg, Germany:
Arena Box Promotion returned to Hamburg with a giant 13-fight show with 96 rounds of boxing scheduled. WBA feather champ Yuriorkis Gamboa retained the title with a unanimous decision over Jonathan Victor Barros. It was scored 116-111 and 118-109 twice. Barros was down in the eighth. Gamboa had trouble finding the range and both were reluctant to mix it up which made it a tactical and tense fight with few clean punches scored.
Russian Dennis Bakhtov won the vacant PABA title when Steffen Kretschmann gave up and retired in the ninth round. Kretschmann did well early but collapsed mentally when the tough Bakhtov stood up to him. Steffen was down in the sixth, came back well though but then just gave up early in the ninth. Referee Heinrich Muehmert first gave him a standing eight count but as Steffen really wanted out he turned his back to the action with Bakhtov punching and now the referee called it off but wanted to disqualify the Russian. Cooler heads prevailed though and Bakhtov was given the win. After eight it was scored a crazy 80-72 and 78-73 for Kretschmann and a more realistic 75-75.
Juan Carlos Gomez returned and came in at 116 kilo and looked downright fat, but floored Alex Mazikin twice in the first and twice in the third for a stoppage win. At stake was the WBA Int´l title.
Middleweight Mahir Oral stopped Colombian Juan Camilo Novoa in the tenth to win the vacant WBA Int´l title. It was a tough fight for both with Novoa a spent force at the end.
Mexican lightweight Javier Castro impressed in knocking out Augusto Pinilla in the second to win in another WBA Int´l title.
Lightheavy Robert Woge turned pro and stopped Valerijs Gubins in the very first round. Woge came straight forward and slugged it out leaving himself wide open but he also showed impressive power and will be interesting to follow.
News: German cruiser Alexander Frenkel have accepted to step aside but will face the winner of Alexander Kotlobay against Welsh veteran and former WBU champ Enzo Maccarinelli April 27 in St Petersburg, Russia. At stake is the vacant EBU title.