The WBO will crown an interim cruiserweight champion on March 7 when Germany’s Roman Fress faces unbeaten countryman Tahir Kahrovic, better known as Tommy Punch. The all-German showdown is set for the Messhall in Magdeburg and will be staged as a Blanko Sports/SES co-promotion.
Kahrovic enters the bout with a perfect 23-0 record and 15 knockouts, though he has yet to compete beyond the 10-round distance. Despite that, the 29-year-old sits at No. 3 in the WBO rankings. His résumé includes winning the WBO European title in 2023 with a points victory over Emil Markic, followed by a successful defense against Miljan Djordjevic the following year.
Fress (23-1, 13 KOs) is more familiar on the international scene and holds the No. 1 position in the WBO cruiserweight rankings. The 31-year-old, trained by former world champion Robert Stieglitz, captured the WBO inter-continental title in May with a 10-round decision over Michael Seitz. However, like his opponent, he has yet to contest a full 12-round championship fight.
Neither fighter brings a defining world-level win into the matchup, adding an element of uncertainty to the interim title bout. Fress’ lone defeat came in 2021, when he dropped a 10-round split decision to Armend Xhoxhaj, while Kahrovic remains untested against elite opposition despite his unbeaten record.
Fight card:
▪️Roman Fress vs. Tahir Kahrovic, 12 rounds, for the vacant WBO Interim World cruiserweight title
