What do Marvin Hagler, Frank Tate, Michael Nunn, James Toney, Roy Jones Jr., Bernard Hopkins, Jermain Taylor and Arthur Abraham share in common? They were all IBF Middleweight Champions. Sebastian Sylvester (34-3-1, 16 KOs) is the current holder of the belt. On Saturday, he wants to successfully defend his title for the fourth time. He will meet IBF World Rankings number one Daniel Geale (24-1, 15 KOs) at the Jahnsportforum in Neubrandenburg. “Hagler, Jones, Hopkins, Taylor, Abraham etc. - they are all illustrious names. And I am proud to be one of them. I think that a triumph on Saturday would take me another step further forwards. I want to show that I deserve to be among this group of names, and leave the ring victorious as the IBF Champion against Daniel Geale,” said the confident title holder on Wednesday at a press conference in Neubrandenburg’s town hall. “Geale is strong, but he is not going to win in my living room, the Jahnsportforum,” added Sylvester.

The challenger from Australia has other ideas, though. “My preparation went according to plan,” he said. “Of course I know that Sylvester is very accomplished, but I want to make my dream of being champion become reality.” Coach Graham Shaw devised a special ‘noise therapy’ training precisely for this fight. “We know what to expect in the Jahnsportforum,” the challenger said. “We know how noisily Sebastian Sylvester’s fans will support him. Therefore, I trained in Australia with a great deal of noise in the background to prepare me for the atmosphere.”

Promoter Gary Shaw also believes there will be an Australian World Champion. “Sebastian is going to get some real big problems to deal with,” he said. “Daniel was already great as an amateur boxer, and as a professional, he has developed exceptionally and recently even knocked out Roman Karmazin. Sebastian Sylvester had his own problems with him. Daniel Geale will bring the IBF belt to Australia, and then his name will stand on the list of great names that Sebastian Sylvester just mentioned.”

Alongside the IBF Middleweight Title fight, the fans can look forward to two more title fights. In a clash for the European Light Heavyweight Title, Britain’s Danny McIntosh and Eduard Gutknecht meet. Karo Murat and Otis Griffin also clash for the vacant IBF Intercontinental Light Heavyweight Title.