Boxing World Cup. Germany competes for the second world title in the United States | Sports

This guy has a bite!

Vincenzo Gualtieri (30, Agon Boxing Stable) is the world's only boxing champion – and a big fan of tattoos. He is the IBF Middleweight Champion after defeating Brazilian Falcao. Henry Musk, Axel Schulz and Arthur Abraham have already fought for this global association.

What distinguishes “El Capo”, its combat name: 15 works of art that adorn the body of the Wuppertal native. So far! Because after the weekend another one will be added…

On Sunday night (5:15 a.m., Sportschau.de) Gualtieri will enter the ring in Rosenberg near Houston (USA) for a title unification fight against undefeated WBO world champion Janibek Alimkhanuli (30). Record of the Kazakh: 14 wins, 9 of them by knockout

IBF champion (21 wins, 1 draw) confidently: “I won and I get another tattoo – fight date.”

Middleweight Gualtieri will be only the second German, after Max Schmeling (†99) in 1931, to hold a world title from the United States.

Financially it is very beneficial. The former student of Graciano Rocchigiani († 54) earned around €350,000 for the fight.

Opponent Alimkhanuli is undefeated so far. Should change on Sunday morning. Gualtieri: “He's a very strong boxer, but we know what we're getting ourselves into.”

Promoter Ingo Volkmann: “Vincenzo is brave and has no fear. We are confident. Since there was no TV show from Germany, we had to go to America. At the end of the day, everything needs financing.”

Hagen Döring, matchmaker at Agon: “The Kazakh is not a great player and Vincenzo can hit well with both hands and has an excellent left hand.”

However, the Wuppertaler is a blatant outsider. In his view, the odds at bookmakers are 1:13. Former world champion Ralph Rocchigiani: “It will be difficult for Vincenzo, he may have to win by knockout.”

“I am grateful for the opportunity to fight another world champion. This fight brings me one step closer to my goal of becoming the ‘Undisputed Champion’ in the middleweight division and I thank Vincenzo Gualtieri for putting his belt on the line. He is doing what other champions have refused to do. And with that That said, I will return to Kazakhstan as a double world champion,” said Alimkhanuli, who weighs 72.3 kilograms.

Gualtieri, who weighed 72.4 kilograms and is about to defend his first title, answered: “Janebek is an excellent boxer who has achieved everything as an amateur and a professional, just like Eskiva Falcao, whom I defeated in July.” Janebek is a southern player, just like Eskiva Falcao. Janebek is a favourite, as is Eskiva Falcao. In the end, Janebek, like Eskiva Falcao, will lose because I have the better team and the will of a champion. This alone will determine who will win and who will lose, just as happened against Eskiva Falcao.”

So: Gualtieri's goal is clear: a second world championship belt – and the number 16 tattoo!