Official Press Release Univesum
Box-Promotion
Grigorian defends WBO lightweight title for the sixth time
Promotor Kohl: "Now we want unification fights!"
HAMBURG, 24 October 1998. In the sixth defense of his WBO lightweight title Uzbekistan's
Artur Grigorian stopped the Italian challenger Giorgio Campanella in the 10th round.
The undefeated southpaw Grigorian was able to dominate the tough Italian with his
excellent boxing skills and his quick foot work throughout the fight winning every round.
In the second round Grigorian (61 kg / 134 1/2 lbs) suffered a minor cut on his left eye,
but at the same time he started to land his left hand more effectively and he repeatedly
snapped back Campanella's head, when his punches were landing through the challenger's
guard.
Campanella (60,8 kg / 134 lbs), who was able to send Oscar de la Hoya to the canvas in
1994, had no chance of doing the same to his German based opponent, who is managed by
Hamburg's Universum Box-Promotion. In the seventh round the
desperated Campanella temporarily switched to the southpaw stance himself, after he had
suffered a cut on his left eye.
But this tactic couldn't help Campanella either to avoid the quick and precise punches,
that Grigorian was firing from all angles to score a final knockdown in the 10th round.
Referee Genaro Rodriguez didn't bother to count and waved off the fight at 1:36.
"When I fought de la Hoya I had problems to make the weight limit of 130 pounds. This
was not the problem today", Campanella replied, when he was asked to make a
comparison between 'The Golden Boy' and 'King Artur'. "Still I think
de la Hoya is punching harder, but Grigorian's boxing skills are as good as Oscar's, and
when the fight went on I realized that Grigorian could really hurt me too", the
beaten Italian explained, who had big swellings on both eyes and a cut inside his mouth.
The Uzbekian champion was showing sportsmanship after the fight, when he hugged and kissed
his opponent at the press conference.
"Artur Grigorian is the best lightweight in the world", his promotor Klaus-Peter
Kohl stated. "We want Artur to fight the other world champions now to unify the
titles. I've seen all the other lightweight champions, including IBF title holder Shane
Mosley, who enjoys a high opinion in American boxing circles. Nobody can compete with the
great boxing skills of Grigorian."
Artur Grigorian improved his unbeaten record to 25-0, scoring his 16th knockout win.
Campanella, who failed in his third try to lift a world title, dropped to 26-5-1 (18).
Fabian Weber
International Press Spokesman
Universum Box-Promotion GmbH