WBC #2 "Mini-Tyson" Selcuk Aydin to face WBC #3 "Sugar" Jackson Osei Bonsu for the vacant European welterweight championship on July 11th in Istanbul

On July 11th ARENA will bring boxing back to Turkey. Two of the world's best welterweights will meet at the Besiktas Cola Turka Arena in Istanbul when Turkey's "Mini-Tyson" Selcuk Aydin defends his WBC international championship against former European champion "Sugar" Jackson Osei Bonsu from Belgium. The winner of this highly anticipated bout between WBC #2 (Aydin) and #3 (Bonsu) will not only become the new EBU welterweight champion but will also be very close to a title shot against unbeaten WBC king Andre Berto.

Selcuk Aydin has been a Turkish amateur standout winning 15 (!) national champion titles and the European junior championships as well. Not only did Aydin win about 360 of his 380 amateur fights; he also proved his enormous punching power by scoring 300 (!) stoppages. Since turning pro in November 2006 25-year-old Aydin has made himself a name as "Mini-Tyson" scoring 14 ko-victories in a perfect record of 18 fights and 18 wins.

In April 2008 the powerhouse from Trabzon (at the Black Sea) captured the WBC international championship by outclassing former titlist Lucky Lewele over 12 one-sided rounds. Aydin has defended his title three times since. In his last outing "Mini-Tyson" impressed the US public by outworking strong and experienced Said Ouali in April 2009 in Primm, Nevada to take home a well-earned split decision victory.

"Sugar" Jackson Osei Bonsu is coming from an equally impressive mid-decision win over former world champion Carlos Manuel Baldomir in December 2008 in Antwerpen, Belgium. The 28-year-old native Ghanaian who lives and fights out of Belgium had won the EBU European championship in February 2007 by stopping Nordine Mouchi in the 8th. After four successful defences Bonsu lost the title by debatable unanimous decision in September 2008 in Poland to Rafal Jackiewicz. Now that Jackiewicz has relinquished the belt "Sugar" Jackson is looking to take back what he feels should have never taken away from him anyways.

"Being Selcuk's promoter Aydin vs. Bonsu is one of the most dangerous fights I could have made - as a boxing fan I cannot wait to see it", states promoter Ahmet Öner. "For both men this is the big chance to get a world title shot. The winner will go all the way to the top. The loser has to start over and work his way up again. Both men are very powerful and aggressive. I am proud to bring such a great fight to Istanbul and I am sure that people will talk about this fight for a long time."

The show from Besiktas Cola Turka Arena Spor Complex will be broadcasted live from 9.00pm on July 11th 2009 by Akor Organizasyon.

Herbie Hide, Steffen Kretschmann, Mahir Oral back in action on June 26th

After his very successful US show on April 17th with Yuriorkis Gamboa winning the first world title for ARENA promoter Ahmet Öner is preparing his next event in Germany for June 26th at the Hermann-Neuberger-Halle in Völklingen (near Saarbrücken, close to the French border). The show will be headlined by former world heavyweight champion Herbie Hide, promising German heavyweight prospect Steffen Kretschmann and rising middleweight star Mahir Oral.

"The Dancing Destroyer" Herbie Hide is close to making history. If Hide can win his WBC international championship bout in Völklingen the two time WBO heavyweight champ will challenge the winner of May 16th WBC cruiserweight championship clash between reigning titlist Giacobbe Fragomeni and Krysztof Wlodarczyk next. So Herbie could become the first ever former heavyweight champ who wins a world title at cruiserweight.

"Lots of people have gone up in weight to fight for titles", says Herbie. "But I am one of the very few who went down. I always said that I am a natural cruiserweight. I was just fast and powerful enough to knock out the big guys as well. Now I feel very comfortable and I can guarantee everybody in the whole world that I will be champion again. Nothing can stop me and whoever gets in between me and the belt I am looking for will get knocked out."

28 year old Steffen Kretschmann (13-0, 12 kos) will face his toughest test so far in strong and experienced Russian contender Denis Bakhtov (28-5, 18 kos). The fight was originally scheduled for March 6th but Kretschmann suffered an ear injury and had to undergo surgery. Now "Kretsche" is back on track and all fired up to get back into the ring and show his class.

But reigning and defending PABA champion Bakhtov (currently ranked on #14 in the EBU and WBA) will definitely not come to Germany just to collect his purse and hand over his title. The 29-year-old is coming from four straight wins in the last two years. His last loss was a decision to recent world title challenger Juan Carlos Gomez in June 2007.

"Steffen will need all his power and concentration to win this fight", states Ahmet Öner. "Still I believe that this kid is capable of achieving great things in the near future. If he beats Bakhtov convincingly he will be in the mix for a European title fight. After that the sky is the limit given the fact that - besides the Klitschkos - there are not many extraordinarily great heavies around at the moment."

The third co-main event of the night features WBC#3, WBO#12, WBA and IBF #14 Mahir "Lion" Oral (25-1-2, 10 kos) who takes on Russian powerpuncher Dmitry Pirog (13-0, 11 kos). "The winner of this bout will be very close to a world title shot", says Öner. "It won't be easy for Mahir but there are no easy fights on this top level."

Tickets for the show will go on sale on May 11th; Eurosport will broadcast the fights live from Völklingen.

WBA World Championship Yuriorkis Gamboa vs. Jose Rojas

On April 17th Yuriorkis Gamboa wants to become the first world champion for ARENA Box-Promotion. "El Ciclon de Guanatanamo" (WBA #2) will face Jose "Cheo" Rojas (WBA #1) at the "Star of the Desert Arena" in Primm, Nevada, for the WBA featherweight title.

It is only Gamboa's 15th pro-fight. "I am very happy about this great opportunity", says the Cuban. "This is what I turned professional for: To win titles. Now I will fulfil my dream of become world champion by blowing away Rojas."

The fight will be televised live as part of "SHOBOX: The Next Generation" series. Promoter Ahmet Öner: "Lots of people in the USA think that Gamboa will be the next big pound-for-pound king. Now he can prove them all right. He will need all his speed and willpower to win his first title fight. I am sure that we will see a great fight."

Another great fight on the card will be the WBC international welterweight championship between reigning and defending champion Selcuk Aydin and Las Vegas based Said Ouali. The bout was originally scheduled to take place in Istanbul last November but had to be postponed due to an injury suffered by Aydin in sparring. Now the US fans will get the chance to take a first look at the Turkish "Mini-Tyson" who blew away veteran Luis Hernandez from Ecuador in his most recent title defense on March 6th in Cuxhaven, Germany.

Öner: "Selcuk's aggressive style appeals to boxing fans all around the world. I am convinced that he got what it taked to become an international star. If he can beat Ouali he will hopefully get a shot at WBC champion Andre Berto later this year."

Completing the great triple-header will be hot jr. middleweight prospect Erislandy Lara. The former world amateur champion from Cuba impressed the US public with two impressive consecutive first round k.o.-victories on ESPN2's Fridy Night Fights.

"This promises to be a great show" states Öner. "I am glad and proud that we have the chance to present our great young fighters on US TV again. Judging from the line-up all fans are in for a fantastic night of boxing!"