Herbie Hide is the EU mandatory

[achillesthegreat]

When he heard about the news the “Dancing Destroyer” lived up to his name and started dancing for joy. The European Boxing Union (EBU) officially declared former World Heavyweight Champion Herbie Hide mandatory challenger of EU-Cruiserweight Champion Giacobbe Fragomeni from Italy.

Hide: “That’s fantastic! It’s great to fight for a title again. I will show everybody that I still have what it takes to win the gold. I promise this will the first but not the last champion belt I win for arena. The EU title is just a step on my way to the World Championship.”

First of all Hide has to beat Fragomeni which won’t be easy to do. The reigning EU-Champion is currently ranked on No. 5 in the WBC ratings and lost only one of his 24 fights. In November 2006 European Champion David Haye stopped the Italian in round 9.

arena-CEO Ahmet Öner: “When Herbie signed with arena I promised him a title match within the first year. Now he is with us for half a year and already fighting for a belt. We know that Fragomeni is a tough opponent but Herbie is not a two-time World Champion for nothing. I am sure that he will knock out the Italian on his way back to the top of the world.”

[achillesthegreat]

You have to worry for Hide. When I watch his recent fights its hard to not see him having slipped quite a bit from his previous glory.

Fragomeni, while not Joe Frazier, is extremely tough and tenacious and over 12 hard rounds I may have to pick him.

Imagine if Hide just rips his head off. Imagine how that would put into perspective how hard hitting he is.

[rooq]

if hide convincingly beats fragomeni he'll be right back in the world title mix!

i wonder if any of the uk stations will pick up his fights...

[DamonD]

Wow, quite the sudden opportunity for Hide.

This is definitely a difficult fight for Herbie...you kinda feel that the longer it goes, the more it'll favour Fragomeni.

A victory for Hide would revitalise his career.

[BigEars]

The thread title is incorrect he's EU mandatory not EBU . EBU is the full European title , EU is a title only available to those in the EU and is a feeder title for the EBU .

[Max Molyneux]

Was he hit on the temple by Vitali or was that a breeze that KO'ed Hide?

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[dwilson]

Was he hit on the temple by Vitali or was that a breeze that KO'ed Hide?

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Luckily for Herbie "snowflake" Hide the Frag dude can not punch. Should be a good fight between an average european and a past it Brit.

Great reminder of how much of a beast Vitali was thanx.

[mmickyward]

if hide loses this he should retire but even if the fight is for the lesser eu title.His german promoters will deliver big opportunities for him.

[Jimbo]

Just looked on the EBU website and apparently Cantatore's the title holder.

For the EU's vacant heavyweight belt Henry Akinwande will be fighting Michael Sprott. Apparently purse bids have to be in by 6th September - can't think they'll get too much money for that snoozefest.

[achillesthegreat]

The belts confusing because this belt is called the EBU-EU belt. What a moronic belt.

[SevenSamurai]

I dont think Hide has anything left. He will lose a decision to this Fragomeni, he is no mug.

[BigEars]

The belts confusing because this belt is called the EBU-EU belt. What a moronic belt.

The EU belt came about over 5 and a half years ago(and had champions in most divisions by then) , okay I'd expect casual fans to be a little confused but people who frequent forums should be even more aware of it than the WBA Super champion/regular champion nonsense .

Unlike most regional belts(eg ABC pan-pacific or whatever) this one makes sense to me as it's like having the English title as well as the British . It's a good stepping stone towards the real European title and is only available to fighters from the EU .

[achillesthegreat]

The EU belt came about over 5 and a half years ago(and had champions in most divisions by then) , okay I'd expect casual fans to be a little confused but people who frequent forums should be even more aware of it than the WBA Super champion/regular champion nonsense .

Unlike most regional belts(eg ABC pan-pacific or whatever) this one makes sense to me as it's like having the English title as well as the British . It's a good stepping stone towards the real European title and is only available to fighters from the EU .
To be honest I wasn't sure which belt Frag had won so I checked on boxrec and it said EBU-EU but I only remembered the EBU bit.

There are enough stepping stones in boxing. Its getting too much. Just imagine a fighter going through the belts:

Southern Area title
English title
British title
Commonwealth title
EU title
EBU title
minor org belts i.e. WBC international
major belt

It gets a bit much.

[BigEars]

There are enough stepping stones for British boxers , with Area , National(English/Scottish etc) , British , Commonwealth .

But in other European countries they only have the national title(eg Spanish) and nothing else that helps with the goal of fighting for the European title .

British fighters do not fight for the EU title as much for that reason but the EU belt is certainly a positive for many boxers from other countries in the EU .

I hate those WBC International , IBF Inter-Continental etc titles . They are just a tool to get sanctioning fees and would serve no purpose if the orgs didn't inflate the rankings of the fighters that hold them .