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Local contender Jean Pierre
Bauwens, 42-4-2 (24), is the
main attraction when promoter
Claude Van den Heede presents
the 20th anniversary
show of the Gentboksgala, Friday
December 1 at the Topsporthal
Vlanderen in Ghent, Belgium.
In a rematch of a 2010 draw,
Bauwens will face extremely
experienced Spain-based
Dominican, and former Spanish
and European Union Champion,
Ruddy Encarnacion, 37-26-4 (18),
for the vacant World Boxing
Federation (WBF)
Intercontinental Lightweight
title.
A pro for ten years but still
only twenty-nine, Bauwens is
himself also a former European
Union Champion, and has only
tasted defeat on points in title
fights against quality opponents
Ruben Nieto (12-0), Manuel
Lancia (12-1-1), Steve Jamoye
(19-3-1) and Isa Chaniev (10-1).
He will now get a chance to set
the record straight against
Encarnacion, seven years after
the Madrid-resident put the
first blemish on his record in a
ten-rounder at the same venue
where they will go again on
December 1.
Encarnacion (38) has faced some
of the absolute best boxers
Europe has to offer between
Featherweight and Light
Welterweight, and anyone would
be foolish to look at his many
losses and assume they are in
for an easy ride.
From current WBF World Champion
Patrick Kinigamazi and former
WBC World Champion Vitali
Tajbert, to top-contenders Kevin
Mitchell and Martin Joseph Ward,
everyone has had a hard time
with “El Lobo Negro”, just as
Bauwens had in their original
meeting.
And promoter Van den Heede is
well aware of the risks for his
charge, recently telling Belgian
media:
“Just
this past June, Encarnacion went
twelve hard rounds in France for
the European Super Featherweight
title against Guillaume Frenois,
who has forty-four victories and
only one loss. To do that at
thirty-eight years old, shows
that he is super-fit and super
professional. This is a very
dangerous fight for Bauwens!”
The five-bout card will also
include a bout for the Belgian
Welterweight crown, between
reigning champion Meriton
Karaxha and challenger Jean
Pierre Habimana.
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