Comparable in name only, Kovacs improved his stellar record to 23-1 (16 KO’s) when referee Bela Florian halted compatriot Istvan Kovacs (no relation, neither to the former WBO featherweight champion of the same name) in the third round. Managed by Fight Production, Kovacs now awaits bigger tests.

Straight from the ‘Never-can-say-goodbye’ department comes the news that still reigning Austrian superwelterweight champion Gotthard ‘The Cougar’ Hinteregger, 30-14-1 (15 KO’s), is begging manager Olaf Schroeder of Fight Production for “one or two final fights”. At age 40, Hinteregger last was seen in the ring in December in Vienna, Austria, looking good in outscoring Slovakian Miro Dicky over eight rounds, and there seemed hope that the former IBF/WBO Intercontinental champion was working on a transition to the other side of the ropes, as Schroeder and Hinteregger confirmed to remain a team in any case.

“I want ‘Gotti’ to become a trainer or manager for Fight Production,” Schroeder says, “but since he keeps training anyway, yes, if the right fight comes along, ‘Gotti’ will step in the ring again. It’s not a must, but it can well happen.”

When Fight Production’s Dominican but Dutch-based Cristian ‘La Cobra’ Frias, 20-3-2 (16 KO’s), returns for the first time this year to face unbeaten Finn Ville Piispanen, 10-0-1 (3 KO’s), next Friday (Apr. 18) in Helsinki, it could well be ‘Last-Chance-Saloon’ time for the 31-year-old. Frias is riding a three-fight losing streak, even though all three setbacks were on points and in good company (the combined records of his three conquerors being 41-6-5).

Frias has again changed trainer, this time working with Michael Escalona and the pressure is sure on, confirms manager Olaf Schroeder:

“We need a win, end of story. And Piispanen is not exactly Floyd Mayweather, so I expect Cristian to deliver”.