WBA middleweight champ Felix Sturm ends year-long layoff against Giovanni Lorenzo
Felix Sturm, the World Boxing Association (WBA) middleweight champion, will step into the ring for the first time in over a year when he takes on the seventh-ranked contender Giovanni Lorenzo in his hometown of Cologne, Germany on Sept. 4th.
The 31-year-old Sturm, with a record of 33-2-1 and 14kos, last fought in the summer of 2009 when he defended against Khoren Gevor. The 29-year-old Lorenzo has a somewhat inflated record at 29-2 with 21kos as he hasn’t beaten a top-ranked fighter since turning pro. He has faced Sebastian Syslvester and Raul Marquez, but lost to both of them.
This bout could be seen as a tuneup for Sturm for possible fights against the likes of Kelly Pavlik, Paul Williams, Gennady Golovkin, Dmitry Pirog, and Sergio Martinez. He’s in his prime now so shouldn’t wait too long if he wants to take on the best in the world and earn some good money while he’s at it.
Sturm is expected by most observers to beat Lorenzo as the challenger lacks hand speed and legitimate power and has a sort of robotic style of boxing. Sturm’s been on a bit of a roll since drawing with Randy Griffin in 2008. Since then he’s won five straight, with two by knockout. He won the title from Javier Castillejo back in 2007 after Castillejo knocked him out a year earlier. It was his only ko loss.
Sturm has been busy even though he hasn’t fought in a year as he has a new management team and trainer. Fritz Sdunek has taken on the job of training the champ while Roland Bebak has taken over the business side of things.
Lorenzo has stated he’s very determined to take the title back to the Dominican Republic with him, but it’s going to be a tough job. He lost points to Sebastian Sylvester last September, but followed that up with stoppage wins over Wilmer Gonzalez and Daryl Simons. The fight against Simons was just three months ago so he shouldn’t have any ring rust, whereas Sturm probably will after sitting out a year.
Lorenzo is the underdog in this fight, but does have a puncher’s chance. However, it’s going to have to be a hell of a punch to upset Sturm for the crown. Sturm has decent power, but has a good enough chin and the boxing skills to win this one by a decision or a surprise knockout.
Sportsbook William Hill has the odds of a Sturm win at 1/4 with a Lorenzo victory at 11/4 and a draw set at 25/1. Lorenzo to win by stoppage is 9/2 and a Sturm stoppage is 4/1.