Artur Grigorian

For footballer, see Artur Akopovich Grigoryan.
Artur Grigorian
Statistics
Real name Artur Grigoryan
Nickname(s) King Artur
Rated at Lightweight
Height 5 ft 7 12 in (1.71 m)
Reach 69 in (175 cm)
Nationality Soviet Union
Uzbekistan
Armenian
Born (1967-10-20) October 20, 1967
Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union
Stance Southpaw
Boxing record
Total fights 39
Wins 38
Wins by KO 22
Losses 1
Draws 0
No contests 0
Artur Grigorian
Medal record
Men’s Boxing
Representing the  Soviet Union
World Amateur Championships
1991 Australia Lightweight
Goodwill Games
1990 Seattle Lightweight

Artur Grigorian (born Artur Grigoryan; Armenian: Արթուր Գրիգորյան; 20 October 1967 in Tashkent, Uzbek SSR, Soviet Union) is an Uzbek professional boxer of Armenian descent.

Grigorian is a former WBO Lightweight Champion. He retained his lightweight belt for a record of 17 times (surpassing Roberto Duran's record of 12) and held his belt for seven years, six months and twenty days; nearly as long as record holder Benny Leonard held his lightweight title (7 years, 8 months).

Biography

Artur Grigorian was born on 20 October 1967 in Soviet Tashkent, Uzbek SSR to Armenian parents. Artur has a brother and sister.

Amateur career

Grigorian began boxing at the age of 11. He defeated Shane Mosley in the 1990 Goodwill Games in Seattle City.[1]

Artur had a final amateur record of 361-23.

Professional career

Trained by Fritz Sdunek, Grigorian began his professional career in 1994 and won eight consecutive bouts. On 23 July 1994, Grigorian defeated Turkish boxer Senturk Ozdemir by a fifth round technical knockout and won the vacant German International Lightweight title.

On 1 April 1995, Grigorian defeated Antonio Strabello and became the WBO Inter-Continental Champion. After six non-title bouts and one title defense, Artur, with a perfect 19-0 record, became eligible to fight for the WBO Lightweight Championship world title. The title had recently been vacated by Oscar De La Hoya after he moved up to the light welterweight division.

Grigorian faced Puerto Rican Antonio Rivera on 13 April 1996, for the vacant WBO Lightweight title. Both were the two top contenders in the Lightweight division. Artur won by knocking Rivera out in the twelfth round and became the new WBO Lightweight Champion.

After four title defenses, Grigorian defended his belt against undefeated challenger Marco Rudolph. Rudolph had bested Grigorian seven years earlier at the 1991 World Amateur Boxing Championship finals. Grigorian avenged his amateur defeat by stopping Rudolph in the sixth round.

Grigorian would continue to defend his title a total of seventeen times, a new record in the lightweight division. Artur was just one more defense away from becoming the longest reigning lightweight champion, but ultimately lost his belt to Acelino Freitas by unanimous decision on 3 January 2004. Grigorian had surgery on his right shoulder prior to the bout. Freitas lost the belt in his first title defense against Diego Corrales. Grigorian retired later that year after winning one more bout.

On 24 February 2009, at the age of 41, Artur came out of retirement for one more bout in which he won a six round unanimous decision against Bulgarian Kirkor Kirkorov. Kirkorov is also of Armenian descent and also a 1991 World Amateur Boxing Championships medalist.

Professional boxing record

38 Wins (22 knockouts, 16 decisions), 1 Loss (0 knockouts, 1 decision), 0 Draws[3]
Res. Record Opponent Type Round Date Location Notes
Win 38–1 Bulgaria Kirkor Kirkorov PTS 6 24/02/2009 Germany Universum Gym, Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany
Win 37–1 Romania Vasile Herteg TKO 4 (8) 11/09/2004 Hungary Kisstadion, Budapest, Hungary
Lose 36–1 Brazil Acelino Freitas UD 12 03/01/2004 United States Foxwoods Resort, Mashantucket, Connecticut, United States Lost WBO Lightweight title.
Win 36–0 Poland Matt Zegan MD 12 18/01/2003 Germany Grugahalle, Essen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 35–0 Italy Stefano Zoff UD 12 14/09/2002 Germany Volkswagenhalle, Braunschweig, Niedersachsen, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 34–0 Mexico Rocky Martinez TKO 8 (12) 05/01/2002 Germany Bordelandhalle, Magdeburg, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 33–0 Argentina Aldo Nazareno Rios UD 12 16/06/2001 Hungary Kisstadion, Budapest, Hungary Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 32–0 Spain Angel Jose Perez TKO 6 (12) 24/02/2001 Germany Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 31–0 Colombia Antonio Pitalua UD 12 25/11/2000 Germany Preussag Arena, Hannover, Niedersachsen, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 30–0 Hungary Zoltan Kalocsai TKO 12 (12) 23/06/2000 Hungary FTC Stadium, Budapest, Hungary Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 29–0 Italy Sandro Casamonica TKO 9 (12) 19/02/2000 Germany Estrel Convention Center, Neukoelln, Berlin, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 28–0 Uruguay Wilson Enrique Galli TKO 10 (12) 27/11/1999 Germany Hansehalle, Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 27–0 United States Michael Clark KO 5 (12) 09/10/1999 Germany Koenig Pilsener Arena, Oberhausen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 26–0 Spain Oscar Garcia Cano UD 12 13/03/1999 Germany Hansehalle, Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 25–0 Italy Giorgio Campanella TD 10 (12) 24/10/1998 Germany Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 24–0 Germany Marco Rudolph TKO 6 (12) 14/03/1998 Germany Sporthalle, Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 23–0 United States David Armstrong UD 12 11/10/1997 Germany Stadthalle, Cottbus, Brandenburg, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 22–0 Argentina Raul Horacio Balbi TKO 11 (12) 22/02/1997 Germany Sporthalle, Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 21–0 United States Marty Jakubowski UD 12 16/11/1996 Germany Sporthalle, Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 20–0 United States Gene Reed KO 2 (12) 21/09/1996 Germany Sport und Erholungszentrum, Friedrichshain, Berlin, Germany Retained WBO Lightweight title.
Win 19–0 Puerto Rico Antonio Rivera KO 12 (12) 13/04/1996 Germany Sporthalle, Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany Won vacant WBO Lightweight title.
Win 18–0 Colombia Esteban Perez Quinones TKO 6 02/10/1996 Germany Stadthalle, Cottbus, Brandenburg, Germany
Win 17–0 Zambia Paul Kaoma PTS 8 02/12/1995 Germany Carl Benz Halle, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Win 16–0 Belgium Jean-Marc Camaleri TKO 2 (8) 07/10/1995 Germany Festhalle, Frankfurt, Hessen, Germany
Win 15–0 France Pascal Ragaut TKO 4 (8) 23/09/1995 Germany Saaltheater Geulen, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win 14–0 Mexico Angel Aldama TKO 5 (12) 19/08/1995 Germany Eisstadion, Düsseldorf, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Retained WBO Inter-Continental Lightweight title.
Win 13–0 Spain Carlos Pena PTS 8 10/06/1995 Germany Europahalle, Karlsruhe, Baden-Württemberg, Germany
Win 12–0 United States Mark Smith PTS 4 20/05/1995 Germany Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany
Win 11–0 Germany Antonio Strabello TKO 8 (12) 01/04/1995 Germany Saaltheater Geulen, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany Won vacant WBO Inter-Continental Lightweight title.
Win 10–0 Dominican Republic Armando Juan Reyes TKO 4 (8) 11/03/1995 Germany Deutz Sporthalle, Cologne, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win 9–0 United States Bobby Brewer TD 4 (4) 28/01/1995 Germany Sporthalle, Schoeneberg, Berlin, Germany
Win 8–0 Dominican Republic Benito Martinez TKO 5 17/12/1994 Germany Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany
Win 7–0 Spain Jose Carlos Cantero TKO 5 03/12/1994 Germany Atelier Bruno Bruni, Hamburg, Germany
Win 6–0 Puerto Rico Alberto Alicea TKO 5 22/10/1994 Germany Hansehalle, Luebeck, Schleswig-Holstein, Germany
Win 5–0 Spain Oscar Palomino PTS 8 10/09/1994 Germany Sporthalle, Alsterdorf, Hamburg, Germany
Win 4–0 Turkey Senturk Ozdemir TKO 5 (10) 23/07/1994 Germany Sportforum, Lichtenberg, Berlin, Germany Won vacant German International Lightweight title.
Win 3–0 Belgium Pascal Montulet PTS 8 28/05/1994 Germany Tivoli Eissporthalle, Aachen, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
Win 2–0 Mexico Marcelo Rodriguez PTS 8 23/04/1994 Germany Sporthalle Bildungszentrum, Halle, Sachsen-Anhalt, Germany
Win 1–0 United States Juan Tubbs TKO 2 10/04/1994 Germany Universum Gym, Wandsbek, Hamburg, Germany Grigorian's professional debut.

See also

References

External links

Preceded by
Oscar De La Hoya
Vacated
WBO Lightweight Champion
13 April 1996 3 January 2004
Succeeded by
Acelino Freitas
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