August 21, 2009 - 20:15 AMT
Karo Murat vacated European Super-Middleweight Title to move up to light heavyweight
Europe Champion in super medium weight Armenian boxer Karo Murat (Karen Muradyan) ), acting under the flag of Germany, left the title vacant EBU, which he won in 2008 defeating the Italian boxer Cristian Sanavia.

Karo Murad will make his first fight in the new limit on August 29 at the Gerry Weber Stadium when he clashes with Sergey Demchenko for the vacant WBO Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Title.

"We know the weight problems from Arthur Abraham, who vacated his IBF Middleweight Title to join the Super Six World Boxing Classic," coach Ulli Wegner said. "All the diets really affect your performance in a negative way. I spoke to Karo about it. Since we have a very strong line-up at super-middleweight, we decided that he will challenge at light heavyweight in the future."

Karo Murat is looking forward to a new challenge. "I am a little sad to vacate the European belt at super-middleweight," he said. "I was very proud to be the European champion. But on the other hand I am very happy to move up. Even though I have worked very hard and lived disciplined in the last couple of weeks, I am still well over the weight limit."

And he added: "I have great opportunities at light heavyweight. I have already beaten Gabriel Campillo, who is now the WBA champion. At 1.79 metres I am tall enough to fight in this division. And my punches will be even stronger."
Murat (19-0, 12 KOs) is currently shaping up in Team Sauerland´s training camp base in Kienbaum, 20 miles east of Berlin. He believes the fight against Demchenko (13-2, 10 KOs) on the Huck-Ramirez undercard will be a good first test. "He is the former IBF Intercontinental Champion," Murat stated. "It will be tough and a good challenge for the first fight in the new limit."