Ringside Zone Event - Boxing Fight Night Recap at SNP Dome Heidelberg
On the evening of Saturday, July 19, 2025, the SNP Dome in Heidelberg transformed into the epicenter of German boxing, as Ringside Zone hosted its biggest event to date. With over 5,000 fans in attendance, a stacked professional fight card, and high-energy entertainment in between rounds, the night marked a new chapter in the fusion of combat sport and urban culture. TV-sport-legend Kai Ebel, known as Formula-1 moderator, hosted the night in a classy suit and charismatic wit. Seen below, Ronny Leber acted as Ring announcer. With various engagements of the fans, such as colorful light wristbands that showcased who the fans are in favor of, other than that, there were little gimmicky moments in between the fights, but let's talk about the boxing.
The Fights
Starting with British boxer Omarah Taylor (5-0), a rising name in the super middleweight division, improved her record to 5–0 with a second-round stoppage of Argentinian boxer Erica Alvarez (8-13). Taylor impressed with sharp footwork and clear technical superiority, controlling all six rounds with ease. We highly enjoyed this fight, and we were happy to see women in boxing represented in the grand event, as many still falsely see it as a sport for men. These two fighters, especially Taylor, who secured the win, however, perfectly showcased that this was not the case.
A highlight and co-main event of the evening came as German Simon Zachenhuber (28-0) extended his undefeated personal record to 28 wins in a thrilling and hard-fought ten-round contest against the hard-hitting Nigerian Paulinus Ndjolonimu (19-1). It was an exciting and close call as both fighters exchanged heavy combinations, but the judges ultimately, for some, maybe surprisingly, awarded the win to Zachenhuber by decision. This decision did not come lightly. Ndjolonimu scored with punishing body shots, though some hits were rather questionable, which is why the referee docked him points twice. The Namibian rattled Zachenhuber, yet the latter could come around with strong throws during the second half of the rounds, which is a clear indicator of the referee's decision.
German boxer Devrim Gökduman (13-0), another undefeated prospect, walked away with the vacant IBF European Lightweight Title after a strategic and technical victory over the experienced Romanian boxer James Chereji (22-6). It was anything but an easy night for Gökduman.
In the early rounds, Chereji came out aggressively, controlling the center of the ring, which is why Gökduman struggled to find his rhythm. Yet until round ten came around, Gökduman showcased impressive ring footwork, sending Chereji to the ground and with that outpointing the Romanian on the scorecards.
The event included a much-anticipated pro-debut by Olympic bronze medallist Nelvie Tiafack (1-0), who faced Polish veteran Jakub Sosinski (8-12-1). Tiafack came on stage backed up by a live performing rapper Reggie, leaving a lasting memory of the entrance. Later, he impressed with his power and control, winning every round clearly on the judges’ cards as he scored a knockdown in the second round. The referee stepped in and stopped the fight immediately. In the following interview, Tiafack admitted he would’ve liked more time in the ring, but was beyond happy with his start in the professional heavyweight division.
The night featured yet another professional debut; this time, it was Alexander Okafor (1-0), who faced Uesame Bozkurt (6-3) in a six-round middleweight fight. Bozkurt set a fast pace early, which Okafor tried to counter but could not totally match that until Bozkurt began to tire in the later rounds. The Newcomer still brought higher precision in his swings, and with that, he could win the match in the end. It was a closely contested bout that went the full six rounds; all in all, it was a tough professional debut for Okafor.
The night ended with the main fight between Emanuel Odiase (8-0) and Srdan Govedarica (13-12). Odiase was powerfully supported by the crowd as he entered the stage and into the ring, with name posters and loud cheers. The boxer had his hometown on the side as he claimed his first BDB International Heavyweight Championship title with a dominant performance over Srdan Govedarica. Odiase won as Govedarica had hit the ground twice by round six. Odiase controlled the pace right from the opening bell and secured a clear unanimous decision, further cementing his rising status in the German heavyweight scene. As he made his winning rounds, he happily thanked his supporters, coaches & his religion for his win. We are sure to see more of him in big fights in the future.
More than a Sports Event
Beyond the fights, the event delivered a full cultural experience. Between bouts, the crowd was treated to live performances by well-known rapper Shindy and singer Ardian Bujupi. Other notable figures from music and media, including comedian Mario Barth, many regional influencers, and sports personalities such as boxing legend Arthur Abraham, swimming star Franziska van Almsick, and footballers Andrej Kramarić, Nader Jindoui, and Oliver Baumann, were also in attendance that night. Moreover, it was a bit like a runway as cool fits were showcased throughout the venue and the red carpet in front of the dome, giving the evening the feel of a cross between a boxing match, a concert, and a social get-together of the whole media scene.
In between the fights, the Ringside Zone team also used the platform to highlight their ongoing commitment to youth empowerment and community support. A portion of the evening’s proceeds supported charitable organizations such as the Klitschko Foundation and Anpfiff ins Leben, both focused on education, integration, and mental strength through sport.
With this event, Ringside Zone proved that Heidelberg is ready to host a top-tier boxing event. Every seat was filled, the cheer was loud, and the community, as well as important figures of sport and media, came together to celebrate the boxing night. We hope to see more such events in the area in the future.
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ARTICLE & PHOTOS BY
Maxine
I love to capture little moments in busy streets, but for our magazine, I mostly take editorial, portraits and concerts shots. You can sometime find me reviewing concerts or talking about all and everything during a hot chocolate in interviews with our guests.
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