June 10, 2005
KEMPTEN, GERMANY-WBC #3 ranked heavyweight Sinan Samil Sam (23-2, 15 KOs), a Turkish German, will defend his WBC international belt against the OPBF ruler Peter Okello (17-3, 16 KOs), a Ugandan campaigning in Japan, tomorrow (Saturday) in Kempten, Germany. The weigh-in ceremony was held there today, and Sam tipped the beam at 111.2 kg, while Okello scaled in at 110.2 kg. Sam previously dropped Danny Williams, a future conqueror of Mike Tyson, three times and dismantled him in six rounds to win the European belt in 2003, and lost it to Luan Krasniqi a year later. Sam, a game and durable puncher, then acquired the WBC international throne by stopping Dennis Bakhtov in ten heats last November, and kept it once by winning a unanimous nod over Lawrence Clay Bey this February. WBC #23 Okello, who retained his OPBF title eight times to his credit, is ambitious and eager to defeat Sam and become the dual regional champ. It will be a competitive fight entertaining the German audience.
Elongated Timo Hoffmann (32-3-1, 18 KOs), a German local prospect, will dispute the vacant European heavyweight belt with Italian Paolo Vidoz (18-2, 12 KOs), a late substitute, over twelve rounds on the same show. Hoffman, a popular campaigner there, weighed in at 118.8 kg to 109.9 kg for Vidoz.
The show, presented by Sauerland Event GmbH, will take place at the Big Box Allgau in Kempten, starting the first bout at 7:20 pm to be locally telecast by ARD.
(6-10-05)