Sparring for Huck – Intense preparation key for successful title defense?

Picture: Karina Hessland

The wait for Marco Huck (35-2-1, 25 KOs) is almost over. On June 8, the current WBO Cruiserweight Champion will lace-up his gloves for the very first time in his home city of Berlin, Germany after two and a half years on the road. The 28-year-old will take on interim-titlist Ola Afolabi (19-2-4, 9 KOs) at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in his eleventh defense of his belt and the third against the Brit.

“All good things come in threes”, said Huck, who is currently in the hot phase of his preparations. “So far Afolabi hasn’t been able to find a way to beat me and it won’t be any different this time round.” And of course the prodigy of Ulli Wegner wants to prove that he does not just talk the talk but also walks the walk. Hence, he will not be holding back during this week’s training as the sparring has just begun.

“We have laid down the foundations. Now we are waiting to see if Marco is able to stick to the tactics we worked on when he is under the pressure of sparring”, explained coach Wegner. “Afolabi will present a difficult challenge, partially due to Fritz Sdunek standing in his corner. However, I’m sure that we have the best sparring partners possible.”

The fact that he is fighting in his own backyard makes the third encounter with the Brit even more special for Huck. “I’m so excited to be back in Berlin and I want to give the boxing fans in Germany´s capital a real spectacle,” promised the champion. “That is why I will be giving it a 100 percent during my preparation. The spectators inside the Max-Schmeling-Halle have a real barnburner to look forward to.”

Tickets for the big fight night at the Max-Schmeling-Halle in Berlin, Germany are available at www.eventim.de andwww.boxen.com.