29.1.07: For most foreign visitors, Berlin is a fascinating city with many attractions – but when your name is Richel Hersisia and you are a professional heavyweight boxer with big aspirations in 2007, then the association with the German capital is more likely to be that of blood, sweat and many abstinences. So it will be for the Dutch champion, 28-1 (22 KO’s), as he arrived back at the Universum gym of his trainer Torsten Schmitz today.

“The plan is for Richel to fight again in March and until that time, he will stay with Torsten to prepare,” revealed manager Olaf Schroeder of Fight Production, “We have agreed with (German promoter) Universum to intensify our cooperation with Richel and we are looking for a tough opponent who can prepare Richel for a run at the big-time this coming summer.”

In his second fight after signing a promotional agreement with German powerhouse Universum, the 32-year-old former WBF champion looked like his old self when blowing out Brazilian Adenilson Rodriguez in the second round last October. It was Hersisia’s comeback after shoulder surgery and the Dutchman from Den Haag proved that all medical problems are firmly behind him now.