The by now 44-year-old Belgian Said Ouali (29-5) returns to action on Saturday (Dec 16) in Vienna (Austria) and is in against Hungarian Roland Hamar (5-21) in a four rounder made at middleweight.
Ouali, who fought most of his fights in the US, retired in 2014 after a surprise loss to Grady Brewer. He had biggest year in 2010 when he stopped Argentinian Hector David Saldivia in a WBA eliminator. In the fight after that Said had a big homecoming fight in Antwerp (Belgium) against Randall Bailey but the fight was declared a No Contest under controversial circumstances when Bailey, having knocked down his opponent earlier in the fight, lifted Ouali up and more or less accidentally threw him over the top rope. Ouali was badly stunned in the fall and was unable to continue.
The show in Vienna is promoted by Harald Pfingstl, who also holds the WBO European title at cruiserweight.
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One of Denmark’s best amateur fighters, Elias Idrissi (1-0 in the pros as freelancer) has signed with TK and Rng*Sde tions and will fight in Kolding on February 3 and Copenhagen on March 9. Idrissi will now concentrate on pro boxing.
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EBU welter champ Jordy Weiss (31-0-1) defends the title on March 9 in Caen (France) against Michal Lesniak (17-2-1).
It’s a voluntary defence of the title Weiss won against Belgian Meriton Karaxha, who was a very late sub for Spaniard Jon Miguez (17-0-1), who had to pull due to an injury just a few days before the fight against Weiss. Miguez remains as the mandatory challenger.
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As previously reported, French heavyweight Tony Yoka (11-3) suffered his third straight loss last Saturday when he dropped a decision to Belgian Ryad Merhy (32-2).
Yoka had for this fight changed trainers from Virgil Hunter to Don Charles, but the problem remains: Tony, who won Olympic Gold in 2016, can fight but appears to be unable to get untracked.
There is one fight left on his contract with Canal+ and retirement doesn’t seem to be an option.