Germany’s Braehmer captures WBA light heavyweight belt

NEUBRANDENBURG, Germany — Germany’s Juergen Braehmer defeated Marcus Oliveira by unanimous decision to take the vacant WBA world light heavyweight title on Saturday night.

The judges scored it 115-112, 117-110, 117-110 in favor of the 35-year-old Braehmer, a former WBO champion, who withstood a late barrage from the previously undefeated American in the last round to claim his second world title.

The title had been vacant since Kazakhstan’s Beibut Shumenov was declared the WBA’s “super” world light heavyweight champion.

Braehmer improved to 42-2 (31 KOs), while the 34-year-old Oliveira dropped to 25-1-1, (20 KOs).

The fight had a late start following a disagreement over which boxer should enter the ring first. Oliveira promoter Don King insisted his fighter went second as he had a higher ranking than Braehmer. The German’s promoter, Nisse Sauerland, called the unforeseen delay “a joke.”

Braehmer eventually went first and Oliveira subsequently emerged to a chorus of boos and whistles from the aggrieved crowd. The bout finally got under way after midnight local time.

Neither fighter enjoyed a clear advantage in the opening rounds, though Braehmer was more proactive and appeared to trouble Oliveira when he caught him cleanly with a powerful right in the fifth round.

Oliveira went down on one knee after an apparent low blow in the 10th, but the referee ruled it was a legal blow, and Braehmer pushed his advantage in the next round as the crowd sang in support.

Oliveira went for the knockout in a furious final round but the German hung on to take the title.

“Braehmer did an excellent job,” said King, who appeased the home crowd by adapting U.S. President John F. Kennedy’s famous words in nearby Berlin in 1963.

“Ich bin ein Neubrandenburger,” the 82-year-old promoter declared.