By Johnny Walker
Rising Polish heavyweight Mariusz “The Viking” Wach, who delivered in this writer’s view the knockout of the year (so far) when he blasted former Mike Tyson conqueror Kevin McBride with a vicious right cross to the temple back in July, will face off against veteran heavyweight and former Lennox Lewis conqueror Oliver McCall on November 5 at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, Conn.
At nearly 6’8” tall, the 31-year-old Wach (25-0, 13 KOs) is a fighter who can match the Klitschkos in the size department, and after his brutal dispatching of McBride
“The Viking” had been touted as Wladimir Klitschko’s next opponent.
Ironically, while some in the boxing world made a fuss and declared Wach as unsuitable at this time for Klitschko, the Ukrainian heavyweight champion of the world has instead ended up taking on a much less desirable foe in former cruiserweight champion Jean Marc Mormeck. The result of the Wlad – Mormeck matchup might leave the aforementioned critics wishing that Wach had indeed gotten the call instead.
Nevertheless, McCall (56-11, 37 KOs), even at 46 years of age, is a sturdy opponent whose ongoing drug abuse issues have hampered his career. In his last bout, McCall beat Damian Wills by unanimous decision to win the vacant World Boxing Federation Intercontinental Heavyweight Title. If Wach can stop the tough McCall in the same devastating fashion that he did McBride, surely the boxing world will sit up and take notice.
Also on the same card against an opponent yet to be determined will be exciting Polish bad boy Artur Szpilka (7-0, 5 KOs). Szpilka is a shaven-headed ball of fire in the ring, a southpaw possessing great hand speed and good power, along with a flair for entertainment. Szpilka often enters the ring in orange prison garb (alluding to a jail stint he did for soccer hooliganism), accompanied by sexy strippers dressed (scantily) as policewomen !).
“Boring” is a never a word that will be associated with Artur Szpilka!
Also on the card with be WBO NABO middleweight champ Patrick Majewski (16-0, 11 KOs).
Tickets are $40.00, $65.00 and $105.00 and can be purchased by calling CES at 401.724.2253/2254 or calling Ticketmaster at 1.800.745.3000. Fans can also purchase tickets online at www.cesboxing.com, www.ticketmaster.com, at Global Boxing Gym in North Bergen, N.J. or at the Mohegan Sun Box Office.