New boxing champ Abraham eyes Geale

A file photo of Aboriginal boxer Daniel Geale after winning the IBF Middleweight Title fight against Germany’s Sebastian Sylvester in Neubrandenburg, Germany last year. (AP PHOTO/DAPD, JENS KOEHLER)

BOXING: Germany’s new super middleweight world boxing champion Arthur Abraham is planning his next bout for December 15 in Nuremberg with Aboriginal boxer Daniel Geale or compatriot Felix Sturm as possible opponents.

Geale, the IBF middleweight world champion, takes on Sturm, the WBA super world middleweight titleholder, at Oberhausen in western Germany on Saturday and Abraham will be eyeing the winner for a future world title bout.

The 32-year-old Abraham earned a unanimous points win over Germany’s Robert Stieglitz on Saturday in Berlin to claim the WBO super middleweight belt and has previously tried to lure Sturm into the ring.

Having held the IBF middleweight title from 2005 until 2009, the chance to face the winner of the Geale-Sturm bout has obvious appeal for Abraham.

“We have twice made Sturm an offer (to fight Abraham) – the last one was over two million euros,” said Abraham’s promoter Kalle Sauerland.

“He has always declined. Sturm will have watched the fight (against Stieglitz) and wondered whether he really wants to fight Arthur.”

Abraham’s win over Stieglitz closed the chapter on three frustrating years since the former middleweight champion stepped up to super middleweight in 2009 when he suffered three defeats in four bouts during the Super Six bouts.

Having lost to Britain’s Carl Froch and America’s Andre Dirrell in 2010, then America’s Andre Ward in May 2011, Abraham needed to restore his credibility on Saturday.

Stieglitz was unable to attend the post-fight media conference with cuts and heavy bruising around both eyes, but Abraham failed to hide his emotions when he finally was able to get his hands on a world title again.

“For the last two years, I have taken a few low blows and fought with myself internally,” he admitted.

“Now I am a happy man again.”

“I am looking forward to eating my mum’s beloved fried potatoes – I can’t look at restaurant food anymore.”

Abraham put in an impressive display, opening three cuts on Stieglitz’s face during the title bout to end the former champion’s three-year reign.

While his opponent produced an impressive work rate, Armenian-born Abraham saved his best for the last minute of each round and landed some punishing shots to Stieglitz’s face.

AFP