WBO super middleweight champion Robert Stieglitz (44-3, 25 KOs) has made the decision to be cautious in the optional defense of his WBO 168 lb. title by facing little-known #10 WBO contender Yuzo Kiyota (23-3-1, 21 KOs) on This summer thirteenth in the Energie Verbund-Arena in Dresden, Sachsen, Germany. Kiyota, 29, has fought against all his fights in Japan throughout his 11-year professional career mainly against local opposition.
He did face American Jameson Bostic 3 years ago and was bumped out within the first round through the 65 southpaw. Kiyota has since won his last four fights, although against weak opposition like those that hes faced the majority of his career. The WBO may be the only sanctioning body which has Kiyota rated within their top 15 at this time around.
supermiddle champ Robert Stieglitz defends the title against Japanese challenger Yuzo Kiyota, who´s a rather unknown force with no fights outside of Japan, July 13 in the headliner of SES´ big show in Dresden. Uknown don´t have to mean poor though and Kiyota comes in with a respectable record of 23-5.
supermiddle champ Robert Stieglitz defends the title against Japanese challenger Yuzo Kiyota, who´s a rather unknown force with no fights outside of Japan, July 13 in the headliner of SES´ big show in Dresden. Uknown don´t have to mean poor though and Kiyota comes in with a respectable record of 23-5.
It´s already been announced that female champs Ramona Kuehne and Christina Hammer will defend their respective titles but no opponents has been announced.
Same goes for WBO Euro middleweight champ Lukas Konecny, who will defend his title in a supporting bout.
Lightheavy Robin Krasniqi is featured on the undercard in his first fight since losing to WBO king Nathan Cleverly.
The WBO is the only sanctioning body that has Kiyota ranked in their top 15 at this time. That’s not a good sign because it frequently means that the fighter has an inflated ranking. We could be seeing a mismatch on July 13th when Stieglitz faces Kiyota.
Stieglitz, 31, recently recaptured his World Boxing Organization title by beating Arthur Abraham by a 4th round TKO last March after the fight was halted due to Abraham’s swollen left eye which had completely closed from the punishment he took from Stieglitz.
If Stieglitz is able to get past Kiyota, he’ll likely be expected to defend his title against his #1 WBO mandatory challenger George Groves. Stieglitz can’t put that defense off indefinitely because the WBO will strip him if he doesn’t face his mandatory.
Stieglitz previously held the WBO 168 lb. title from 2009 to 2012 before losing it to Abraham by a 12 round unanimous decision. Stieglitz worked on his strength after the loss to Abraham and came back with the perfect strategy in how to beat him in their rematch last March by going all out in throwing punch after punch. Abraham has a bad habit of covering up while his opponents throw shots instead of looking to counter them. Stieglitz took advantage of this by throwing nonstop punches for three rounds until the fight was halted in the fourth.
Stieglitz, 31, recently recaptured his World Boxing Organization title by beating Arthur Abraham by a 4th round TKO last March after the fight was halted due to Abraham’s swollen left eye which had completely closed from the punishment he took from Stieglitz.
If Stieglitz is able to get past Kiyota, he’ll likely be expected to defend his title against his #1 WBO mandatory challenger George Groves. Stieglitz can’t put that defense off indefinitely because the WBO will strip him if he doesn’t face his mandatory.
