The European Boxing Union (EBU) has announced that heavyweight champion Oleksandr "The Hunter" Zakhozhyi, 19-0, will make a voluntary defence of the title November 23 at the Olympic Center in Heidelberg (Germany) against Swiss veteran Arnold "The Cobra" Gjergjaj, 38-3, on a Blanko Sports and SES co-promotion. 

Also on the bill is IBF Atomweight champion Sumire Yamanaka (8-0) who defends the title against Fabiana Bytyqi, 21-1-2.

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On another SES and Blanko Sports show, December 7 in Aschersleben, WBO Youth super welter title holder Julian Vogel, 15-0-1, defends the title against fellow German John Bilenberg (7-1).

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Italian heavyweight Diego Lenzi, who represented Italy in the 2024  Olympics has turned pro and signed with The Art of Fighting (TAF). However, Lenzi will, as is common these days, continue his career in "Olympic" boxing and aim for the 2028 Olympics. (Whether  boxing is still a part of the Games by then remains to be seen.)

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I say good luck to Salita Promotions and David Berlin in their protest to the German Federation in regards to the scoring in the fight between William Scull and Vladimir Shishkin. It was a very close fight. I saw it on TV and my scorecard follows that of French judge Ammar Sakraoui, who had it 115-113 Scull. I had it 115-114 Scull - we only differed on the first round, which I scored even. The score of 116-112 from the American judge Robert Hoyle looks too wide but once again the rounds were very close. Shishkin could perhaps have turned it around had he been more aggressive - but then again, that would have left him open for counters. 

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In other weekend action Spaniard Samuel Molina, 30-3, won the EBU welterweight title with a majority decision against defending champion Jordy Weiss, 32-1-1, in Laval, France. It was scored 115-112, 116-113 and 114-114.

In the chief support Kirstie Bavington, 9-5-2, won the vacant female welter title with a split decision over Marine Beauchamp, 6-2-1. It was scored 98-92 and 97-93 in favor of Bavington and 96-94 in favor of Beauchamp.

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Swedish and BBU cruiser king Samo Jangirov, 9-5-3, meets Estonian Madis Hiiet, 2-2, on November 16 in Espoo (Finland). The event, billed as Scandinavian Showdown, promoted by Elite Boxing, will feature 13 fights with boxers from Sweden, Norway and Finland making up the bill.