THE RING’s top two-rated middleweights, WBA titleholder Felix Sturm and IBF beltholder Daniel Geale, have agreed to fight in a partial unification bout on Sept. 1 in Germany at a location to be announced. 
A Saturday press conference is in the works for smack-talkers Adrien Broner and Paulie Malignaggi.
Sturm and Geale agree to Sept. 1 middleweight unification bout
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THE RING’s top two-rated middleweights, Felix Sturm and Daniel Geale, have agreed to fight in a partial title unification bout on Sept. 1, it was announced by Gary Shaw Productions, which promotes Geale, on Thursday. The fight between Sturm (37-2-2, 16 knockouts), THE RING’s No. 1-rated middleweight who holds the WBA title, and Geale (27-1, 15 KOs), the magazine’s No. 2-rated contender who holds the IBF belt, will take place in Sturm’s native Germany at a location to be announced. Geale, a 31-year-old native of Tasmania, Australia, doesn’t mind traveling to face Sturm. He won the IBF title with a split decision over Sebastian Sylvester in Germany last May. "I'm truly thankful to be fighting in this unification bout with Felix Sturm," Geale said in the press release distributed by Gary Shaw Productions. "My promoter Gary Shaw has promised me the biggest fights and he's kept his word. Fighting in Germany is a very difficult task, but I was successful there once before when I captured my first world title against Sebastian Sylvester. My goal will be to beat Sturm in his homeland, and bring his title back to Australia once again. I'm fighting for my country and all the kids I train at the Grange Old School Boxing gym.” Sturm, who is coming off an impressive ninth-round knockout over former WBC beltholder and countryman Sebastian Zbik (30-2, 10 KOs), is unbeaten in his last 14 bouts. The impressive victory seems to have boosted the confidence of the 33-year-old veteran, who was criticized after struggling to a split draw against Martin Murray and winning a disputed split decision over Matthew Macklin last year. "Fighting in my native land of Germany is incredible and I can't wait to show the German fans, once again, what I'm made of," Sturm was quoted in the press release. "Daniel Geale is a worthy opponent, but he's never been in the ring with a fighter like me. I fight for the people of Germany and I'm not going to let them down! I will be victorious on Sept. 1." |