(FEB 11) Every boxing fan who regularly goes to boxing events has experienced this feeling: "Hey, my sport really does not deserve this!"  These were the exact feelings that I was feeling while attending this boxing event on February 9th.  The event was organized by Juergen Lutz and Michael Siegel in Mörsch, Karlsruhe, Germany.

It began with the very first bout: Pia Porter (5-1-2, KO 1) from Karlsruhe found herself up against the Swiss Jacqueline Fuchs, who was making her pro debut. Porter showed technical flaws and lack of punching power. Even when Fuchs started to bleed from her nose she landed hard punches. Nevertheless,  Porter was declared the winner after four rounds, in the super middleweight division.  A draw would have been the fairest result.

The decision in the junior welterweight fight between Alexander Ackermann (2-0-1) and the Slovakian Julius Rafael (1-13-1) was even worse. Ackermann had no idea how to cope with his opponent. He tried jumping, which only gave Rafael good counter chances. Rafael dominated Ackermann at will and gave him a lesson in spirit and technique. It was probably that kind of spirit which helped him maintain his composure when Ackermann was declared the winner after four rounds by a 2 to 1 decision on points, a misjudgment of almost epic proportions.

The unfortunate lightweight Rola El Halabi (4-0-0, KO 2) found herself in the ring with Elisabeita Suerica from Romania, another professional debutant. This one needed only a couple of seconds to realise that she had chosen the wrong career. Consequently, she managed to get herself counted out after 22 seconds and some very light punches. Pity for talented Rola El Halabi, who would have deserved a worthier opponent.

Minimum weight Asiye Özlem Sahin (4-0-0, KO 2) apparently knew how to judge the fighting power of her opponent, Roxana Tenea (0-1-0). Sahin went easy on Tenea and tried not to scare her too much, boxing calmly and low key. But in the second round even the patience of “Sugar” Sahin ran out and she started putting on a little pressure. In the third round she could not help but land a couple of punches, which gave the other party the excuse to toss in the towel at once. It’s almost a shame that this boxer, whose has not only the longest hair but also the biggest potential in female boxing, is forced to box against such an “opponent”. Other female boxers which, according to their promoters, keep up the image of female boxing in Germany and who all claim to be the legitimate successors of Regina Halmich, would probably welcome such an attractive competitor.

The professional debut of Patrick Mangold ended with a spectacular knockout. Ambroz Horvath (0-18-0) from Slovakia, who had never won a fight before, had been clobbering the German welterweight for two rounds without meeting much resistance when at the beginning of the third round, much to the surprise of everybody, one of Mangold’s haymaker punches made contact and Horvath was on the canvas. One can only hope that his victory won’t give Mangold the idea of being a good boxer.

Another entertaining event was the match between Lucia Morelli (8-0-0) and Lucie Hornakova (0-9-1) from Slovakia. The Italian jumped back and forth and boxed and Hornakova did what she is best at – she had the referee call a halt to the match. Result: technical knockout in round 1, after one minute and forty seconds, which is, by the way, an information that the worlds needs just as much as such a fight. Ah, and before I forget, the weight class was junior welterweight.

The encounter between the two heavyweights and professional debutants Antonie Price, Germany, and Robert Grefor, Slovakia, can be summed up as “much energy, little technique – much effort, little skill. Price won the brawl, which went over four rounds, unanimously on points. There were also two floorings.

The following heavyweight fight was a bit better. Adnan Butararalija (11-5-0, KO 8) from Bosnia-Herzegovina boxed the German Jonathan Pasi, whose only goal was to survive the match, which he did.

The “highlight” of the event was International German championship in featherweight, and I must say that it was worthy of the entire show. Kira Schnuerer (8-0-1) boxed the Romanian Daniela Dima. Dima has had exactly one professional fight in her life, and she was knocked out in it. In the hall she was introduced with seven fights. It is absolutely scandalous that the BDB, the German Association of Professional Boxing, sanctifies such a match. As planned, Schuerer won. She won by technical knockout in round four. To make the whole show even more embarassing, the German did not even look particularly good. This changed at the award ceremony when the proud holder of the title was celebrated by the local audience and looked very happy. It is not very likely that ever before there has been a title with such little worth as the International female champion in featherweight, sanctified by the BDB.

The last match of the evening showed Regina Halmich’s last opponent, Hagar Shmoulefeld Finer (14-5-3, KOs 3) defeating the Austrian Doris Koehler (3-1-1) by points in four rounds. During the fight Finer demonstrated an astonishing repertoire of more or less subtle tricks, like hitting with the inside hand and pulling the glove lacings through her opponents face.

Even though the ring was brightly lit, there was less light than shadow in this event.