Meroro’s title fight cancelled

Namibia’s WBO Africa light-heavyweight champion Vikapita Meroro’s world title challenge fight is off.

Meroro will not be fighting Germany’s WBO light heavyweight champion, Jurgen Braehmer at the end of the year as he has been handed a mandatory challenger in Welshman Nathan Cleverly, who won an eliminator bout for the German’s title. Cleverly beat Karo Murat, also from Germany, in Birmingham on Saturday. The European light-heavyweight champion closed in on a shot for the WBO title after the 10th round stoppage, in an official final eliminator.Meroro’s trainer and promoter Nestor Tobias told The Namibian Sport on Tuesday that Braehmer’s promoters had written to WBO president Francisco ‘Paco’ Valcarcel to officially sanction their fight. However, in a cruel turn of events, Valcarcel yesterday sent Tobias notice of Braehmer’s compulsory fight against Cleverly. Braehmer had initially voluntarily chosen to fight Meroro in July, however, that fight too was called off at the last minute. Meroro will now hope to get another shot at the title next year. He could well be up against Cleverly for the world title should Braehmer’s appeal against a 16-month prison sentence, for assault, be unsuccessful.’We will organise him fights to defend his title so he can keep improving his ranking and next year he can go for the world title again,’ Tobias said. The promoter added that they will now look at the invite to vie for the WBO intercontinental light-heavyweight title against a Russian in St Petersburg on October 29.