By Per Ake Persson

Promoter Chris Meyer of Team Sauerland comments on the situation that led to Robert Helenius relinquishing the EU heavyweight title.

"We had no other choice, the contract for the fight against Siarhei Liakhovich is still valid and we plan to reschedule it for August 27 which is our next TV date after July 16. Martin Rogan, mandatory challenger for Helenius' title, didn´t want to make a voluntary deal so it had to go to purse bids and thus would have interfered with the Liakhovich fight so we had to vacate the title," Meyer said.

The rules of the EBU and EU calls for a fight inside 60 days of the date of the purse bids. Helenius' WBO I/C and WBA I/C titles will both be on the line in the fight against Liakhovich.

Co-challenger for Rogan for the now vacant title, stepping in on short notice, is Bulgarian Kubrat Pulev, who like Helenius is promoted by Team Sauerland.