Other weekend boxing notes

By JE Grant

Half a world away from the Shane Mosely dismantling of Fernando Vargas, results from two European cities produced some fireworks that may have rippling effects on the boxing scene.

In a Saturday night fight card in Hamburg, Germany former junior middleweight belt-holder Javier Castillejo from Spain upset German Felix Sturm to win the so-called “world” WBA middleweight title. (This is obviously a cynical arrangement by the WBA that allows fee collections for two “world” champions in the same weight class. You’ll remember that Jermain Taylor is the one true middleweight champion – including recognition by the WBA as a “super” champion. Don’t try to figure it out).

The bout was stopped in round 10 with reports that Sturm may have suffered a broken jaw.

The result was all the more stunning given that many thought Sturm outworked Oscar De La Hoya before coming out on the short end of a decision in 2004.

Despite the name of the title, it is clear that Sturm was in the hunt for a shot at the champion Taylor. The loss to the shopworn 38 year-old Castillejo destroyed any chance of gaining a near-term title shot for Sturm. Indeed it puts him in the back of a very long line to the potential riches a fight with Taylor would mean.

As for Castillejo, Fernando Vargas, American fans may recall, trounced him less than a year ago in a junior middleweight contest. If nothing else, the win puts him in line for a signficant payday.

On the Hamburg undercard, unbeaten Uzbekistani Ruslan Chagaev, now 21-0-1 (17 KOs), stopped veteran British heavyweight Michael Sprott. The southpaw, nicknamed “White Tyson” recently edged out Vladimir Virchis (see below) in a battle of unbeatens and will likely move on to rated competition.

In another heavyweight bout on the same card, Ukrainian Vladimir Virchis stopped Italian Paolo Vidoz, in six rounds to gain the European Boxing Union heavyweight title. Virchis is now 21-1 (18 KOs).

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In another European bout of note, WBA light-heavyweight titlist Fabrice Tiozzo returned to the ring after an 18-month layoff to stop someone named Henry Saenz in five rounds in a non-title affair in Le Cannet Cote d'Azur, France.

What is noteworthy, besides the fact that the WBA has allowed him to retain his title for 18 months without having defended it, is that he weighed a whopping 195. Of course a few years ago he held a cruiserweight belt (at the old limit of 190) before returning to the light-heavyweight division where he had briefly held a title.

We just have to wonder if he plans to ever return to the light-heavyweight division.