New European middleweight champion Amin Asikainen receives hero's welcome

Asikainen's professional title puts end to Finnish boxing fraternity's 42-year wait

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Amin Asikainen, a 30-year-old professional boxer from Kirkkonummi, showed his fighting spirit by defeating the reigning European champion, Germany's Sebastian Sylvester, on a technical knock-out in the 8th round of the European Boxing Union (EBU) middleweight championship bout in Hannover, Germany, on Saturday night.
      Asikainen is the first Finnish prize-fighter to become a European champion in 42 years. He turned pro in 2001, after winning the Finnish title as an amateur three times, in 1996, 1998 and 1999. He has had 18 pro fights, winning them all, with 14 knock-outs along the way.
     
Asikainen's rage in the ring turned to emotion at Helsinki-Vantaa International Airport on Sunday, where a mass of well-wishers had gathered to receive the newly-crowned champion. Holding back tears of joy, the new champion managed to voice his thanks to all those who had supported him.
      "The feeling is unbelievable. Last night I hardly slept, as I just kept thinking that I am the European Champion. Only now is it starting to sink in", Asikainen analysed.
      One of the first to congratulate Asikainen was the previous Finnish European Champion Olli Mäki, whose son Pekka trains Asikainen. The elder Mäki took the European featherweight crown in 1964 and also fought Davey Moore in Helsinki unsuccessfully in 1962 for the World professional title.
      Pekka Mäki admitted that prior to the fight the odds were against Asikainen. After Asikainen had defeated the Frenchman Christophe Tendil for the vacant EBU/EU title in early May, he only had four weeks to prepare for this next challenge.
      "We took a calculated risk, but it paid off", Mäki explained.
     
After Saturday's fight, the legendary American boxing promoter Don King was seen to have approached Asikainen. King had praised the Finn's drive and asked if he might be interested in fighting across the Atlantic.
      "Maybe at some point, but first I will concentrate on defending this title", Asikainen later reasoned.
      Before that, though, a holiday is in order. "The next couple of weeks I will devote to my family", the champion pledged.


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