Press release: Universum Box-Promotion celebrated a successful opening into 2006 on Saturday night. At the atmospheric Kulturhalle of Munich, Germany, Croatian light heavyweight contender Stipe Drews and Uzbekian heavyweight Ruslan Chagaev were able to score convincing victories in the main events.

Drews became a two-time European champion by winning a unanimous twelve round decision over Italian Antonio Brancalion by scores of 117:109, 118:109 and 119:108.

Stipe Drews was holding the European belt from 2002 through 2003 but lost a WBC world title eliminator in August 2004 to Paul Briggs in Australia. Against Brancalion he improved his record to 30-1 with 13 knockouts, retained his WBO intercontinental title and added the European crown. Brancalion dropped to 25-6-2 with 7 knockouts.

The European belt had been vacated by Thomas Ulrich last year before the German fought for the WBC title against Tomasz Adamek.

Top rated heavyweight Ruslan Chagaev gave an impressive example of his punching power when he destroyed Rob Calloway with two consecutive left hands in the second round. The Uzbekian southpaw countered a jab of Calloway with a left cross, then followed up with another left hand and brutally floored the American who then lay on the canvas unconcious while referee Erich Stümpfel reached the count of ten.

It was a rematch as Chagaev and Calloway fought to a technical 3rd round draw on Oct. 5, 2002, where an accidental headbutt opened a deep cut on Calloway’s eye in round two.

Whereas Chagaev continues to prove his ability to back up his ambitious nickname “White Tyson” inside the ring, he fortunately doesn’t attempt to do so outside. In private the peacful Chagaev seperates himself clearly from his unpredictable and aggressive boxing idol, and his very liked for his gentle and friendly manners.

Chagaev who improved his unbeaten record to 19-0-1 (16) substituted his stable mate Alexander Dimitrenko who was basically scheduled to fight Calloway but injured his left ellbow in training. Chagaev is currently ranked WBO #9, WBA #15 and Fightnews #14.

Calloway, who had to rest on a chair for several minutes before he was able to leave the ring, dropped to 56-6-1 with 43 knockouts.

On the undercard Olympic gold medal champion Alexander Alexeev from Russia celebrated his professional debut at heavyweight for his new promoter Universum with a first round technical knockout victory over Czech Tomas Mrazek.

The European title fight between Drews and Brancalion as well as several undercard fights were televised by ZDF at 23:00 in Germany.

All Results:

European & WBO Int. Light Heavyweight Championship:
Stipe Drews W12 Antonion Brancalion
(117:109, 118:109, 119:108)

Heavyweight:
Goran Gogic TKO2 (2:59) Oleg Nelikov

Cruiserweight:
Gregory Drozd KO5 (0:44) Pavel Melkomian

Heavyweight:
Ruslan Chagaev KO2 (2:10) Rob Calloway

Super Featherweight:
Vitali Tajbert KO1 (2:15) Julio Borges

Super Middleweight:
Lukas Wilaschek W6 Michel Noto
(60:54, 60:54, 60:54)

Middleweight:
Mahir Oral W8 Attila Kiss
(80:72, 80:72, 80:72)

Super Middleweight:
Dimitri Sartison KO3 (0:44) Osmar Teixeira

Heavyweight:
Alexander Alexeev TKO1 (1:42) Tomas Mrazek