In 24 hours on EuroSport. :good This is can't-lose for both. In Larsen's case, being thwarted in consecutive outings would effectively nullify his slim chances of punching his way into contention at the age of 38. In Hammer's, dropping to 19-4 and losing his main bargaining chip in the WBO Euro title (which is not chiefly regarded and is honestly a secondary or even tertiary form of European championship) keeping him the least bit relevant would spell the end of his own hopes.
The Spanish based Norwegian will be in the Romanian's literal home town (although Hammer currently resides and bases himself in Hamburg) and Hammer's own promoter is staging the event, so you have to figure the more skillful kid with the financial backing and thirteen years the junior would be the recipient of any decision. They must have seen Larsen as beatable to have selected him instead of anyone else that might have been available for this 2nd title defense - but you have to wonder how their boy will cope with a flush bomb if and when it lands. Hammer UD or Larsen KO? Over or under? Unknowable. :?
Those losses are more instructive than any of their victories, as neither has stepped up much. (both knocked out Danny Williams - ho hum...) So you have one man doing very well against Wach until getting caught big and lain to waste. Then you have another doing very well against Solis, but an exceptionally corpulent and lazy Solis. Which of those is more impressive to you? :conf
Larsen is taller, stronger and he has more hair. It's obvious that Larsen has superior genes and he should win this.
It's a 2.5 hour broadcast, so expect full undercard coverage. That includes Danny Williams - common victim of Larsen & Hammer - looking to snap his eight loss skid (or maybe just collect a paycheck) in an 8-round ritual sacrifice to Marcin Rekowski, an undefeated Pole who is 9-0 with 8 knockouts. :!: Compelling television.
FACTS about Leif Larsen: 1. He has a shot put personal best of 18.76m, and finished 4th at the 1994 World Junior Championships, 2. He won several US state titles in both javelin and shot put, and won the Norwegian national title in discus, 3. He was Norwegian national judo champion 4. He played for Buffalo Bills in the NFL, and was chosen 5 picks ahead of Tom Brady in the 2000 Draft, 5. He benched 225lbs 45 times, and also benched 670 lbs with no lifting aids, just 45lbs away from the world record, 6. He left this bloke unconscious for 15 minutes: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HrsOTYI_JLs 7. He floored Danny Williams with a slap, *** 8. He has 17 wins, 14 by KO. 9. He has performed to a very high standard in chess. 10. He is the TWBA world heavyweight champion. In short, Larsen is better at discus than Hammer, better at javelin than Hammer, better at shot put than Hammer, better at judo than Hammer, better at American football than Hammer, can bench more than Hammer, has more KO wins than Hammer, is better at chess than Hammer and has won more world heavyweight titles than Hammer. Larsen by KO. :rasta