The “Captain” returns to the cruiserweight division. It will be the ninth time that Marco Huck (34-2, 25 KOs) will put his WBO title on the line when he steps into the ring on May 5. Huck still has fond memories of the Messe Erfurt, having won his previous fight at the same venue against the American Matt Godfrey back in August 2010 by KO in the fifth round.
His opponent in the capital of Thuringia is an old acquaintance – current interim world champion Ola Afolabi (19-2-3, 9 KOs) lost on points against Huck back in December 2009. He is desperate to take revenge.
“Marco did notwin the first fight, I lost it,” according to the Brit. “Back then the environment I surrounded myself with was not as professional but now I am with K2 and the Klitschkos. Fritz Sdunek is my coach. All this provides me with the mentality of a champion and I am ready to take out Huck.”
Of course Huck had something to say to this statement: “The Klitschkos should refrain from sending over their employees, and take me on themselves. The spectators will be right behind me and will carry me to victory.” The world champion did not stop there. “It is all or nothing for Afolabi. I am here to win. It is fine to take risks but all I want is to defend my title.”
Promoter Kalle Sauerland firmly agreed with the boxer’s evaluation of the fight. “After the narrow victory of the last bout it is guaranteed that this will be an exciting fight,” he stated. “The cruiserweight division is full of great fighters who are all more or less on the same level. This is the biggest difference in comparison to the heavyweights. Therefore, looking at it from a sporting point of view, the cruiserweight division is much more interesting.”
Huck’s coach Ulli Wegner gave away that they are planning on spending some time of their training camp in Zinnowitz at the Baltic Sea. After hearing that, Afolabi could not constrain himself and had a little dig at the coach. “I do not just prepare myself from Monday to Saturday, I even spar with the priest at church on a Sunday,” said the Londoner with a grin on his face.
If you take the word of the world champion as well as the interim-champ, May 5 is going to be one hell of a fight. Both coaches, Ulli Wegner and Fritz Sdunek will be preparing their fighters the best way possible and set their tactics straight, but as Afolabi mentioned later on: “Ulli, it is not you versus Fritz inside the ring, It is me versus Marco. Either I will end the fight inside the distance or he will knock me out.”
The WBO Champ agreed with his opponent’s comment: “We will take the ring apart.”
