Промоутерская компания "Elite-boxing"

Presser in Odessa © K2 East Promotions

Pre-fight presser was held in Odessa at which participants of a huge boxing tournament «Tornado in the Ring» were officially introduced to mass media and fans. «Tornado in the Ring» is organized by «K2 East Promotions» and it will be the sixth big boxing event out of planned ten tournaments carried out by K2 all over Ukraine this year. The name of the boxing fest – «Tornado in the Ring» – is not random: it completely reflects boxing style of Avtandil Khurtsidze whose bout against Argentinean Javier Alberto Mamani headlines the evening.

Vitali Klitschko gave the most vivid description of the coming event: «Endless river of adrenalin is waiting for boxing fans that’ll come to Odessa Palace of Sports. This boxing show will undoubtedly be not worse than events in Los Angeles and New York. Bouts for Inter-Continental belts are in fact dress rehearsals of world title fights and I’m sure that our boxers have all the chances of success».

Khurtsidze, a Georgian boxer from «K2 East Promotions» is famous for his rampant aggressive style in the ring. In his native Georgia he has got the moniker «Chakucha» which means no other than «Hammer» while in Ukraine among his boxers associates he is more known as «Crack-burglar». The latter was given to him since in the ring he neither waits for the chance to land just one lethal punch nor aims he to outbox his opponents but Avtandil rather breaks into defensive walls of his rivals.

A hot middleweight slugger Khurtsidze (15-1-2, 11 KOs) will collide with an experienced Argentinean Javier Alberto Mamani (34-6-1, 19 KOs) who has been fighting among professionals since 2001. Despite his 26 years of age Mamani possesses classy 41 fights in his record having won several minor belts. Mamani fought such notables as reigning champions Joachim Alcine and Felix Sturm, former titlist Mariano Natalio Carrera, and ten world-rated Crazy Kim and Omar Gabriel Weis. Khurtsidze and Mamani will clash for vacant WBA Inter-Continental middleweight title.

In co-feature undefeated Vitaly Rusal (20-0, 13 KOs) will fight Hungarian Jozsef Nagy (18-2, 12 KOs) for vacant IBO Inter-Continental cruiserweight title. Ukrainian and Russian fans know Nagy well through his TKO loss to still unbeaten contender Denis Inkin. His second defeat came this May when Hungarian lost by TD to Pole Pawel Kolodziej. Nagy has been fighting as a pro since 2003 and at different times he won the Hungarian national title and a bunch of regional belts such as the IBF International and the WBA Inter-Continental at middleweights, the EBA (European Boxing Association) and the IBF Inter-Continental at super middleweights.

In the undercard there will be fights of Dmitrij Nikulin (12-0, 4 KOs), Alik Murtazaliev (6-1, 4 KOs), Vladimir Chanturia (11-0, 7 KOs), Timur Akhundov (5-1, 3 KOs). Besides Valery Brazhnik (17-0, 10 KOs) will step into the ring too after several months break. Brazhnik did not fight since last February due to serious hand injury which occurred in his last fight.