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Michael Katsidis
Μιχάλης Κατσίδης
Michaelkatsidis.jpg
Katsidis in 2011
Statistics
Real name Michael Alan Katsidis
Nickname(s)
  • The Great
  • Rocky
Rated at
Height 1.70 m
Reach 168 cm
Nationality Australian
Born (1980-08-15) 15 August 1980 (age 44)
Toowoomba, Queensland, Australia
Stance Orthodox
Boxing record
Total fights 41
Wins 33
Wins by KO 24
Losses 8

Michael Alan Katsidis (born 15 August 1980) is a former Australian professional boxer. He competed from 2001 to 2017. Katsidis was famous for his exciting and aggressive fighting style.

He held the World Boxing Organization (WBO) interim lightweight title twice between 2007 and 2010. An interim title is a temporary championship. His thrilling fights often reminded people of another famous boxer, Arturo Gatti.

Early Boxing Career

Michael Katsidis started amateur boxing when he was only 11 years old. As an amateur, he had a fantastic record of 75 wins and only 6 losses.

His skill earned him a spot on the Australian Olympic team. He competed in the lightweight division at the 2000 Summer Olympics in Sydney. He also received a scholarship to the Australian Institute of Sport.

Olympic Games Results

  • First round: Won against Agnaldo Nunes with a score of 15-6.
  • Second round: Lost to Nurzhan Karimzhanov with a close score of 7-9.

Professional Career

Starting Out Strong

Katsidis became a professional boxer on December 1, 2001. He won his first fight by stopping his opponent in the third round. In just his second fight, he won the Australian lightweight championship.

He continued to win, scoring 19 more victories, mostly by knockout. During this time, he won several other titles, including the WBO Asia Pacific and IBF Pan Pacific lightweight championships.

Early in his career, Katsidis faced some personal challenges. These issues made it difficult for him to get a visa to travel to the United States for a few years.

Famous Fight with Graham Earl

On February 17, 2007, Katsidis fought Graham Earl in London for the WBO interim lightweight title. The fight was full of non-stop action.

Katsidis knocked Earl down twice in the first round and again in the second. But Earl was tough and fought back, even knocking Katsidis down once. In the end, Katsidis's constant pressure was too much. Earl's team stopped the fight after the fifth round, making Katsidis the winner.

First Fight in the United States

Katsidis defended his title against Czar Amonsot on July 21, 2007, in Las Vegas. This was his first fight in the U.S. and was shown on the HBO television network.

The fight was a tough, twelve-round battle. Katsidis knocked Amonsot down in the second and tenth rounds. The judges all agreed that Katsidis won the fight. Both boxers were very tired and needed medical check-ups after such a hard fight.

Facing Top Champions

First Career Loss

On March 22, 2008, Katsidis fought Joel Casamayor, a champion from Cuba. Casamayor started strong, knocking Katsidis down twice in the first round.

Katsidis fought back hard and even knocked Casamayor down in the sixth round. But in the tenth round, Casamayor landed a powerful punch that knocked Katsidis down again. The referee stopped the fight, giving Katsidis his first loss.

Second Defeat

Later that year, on September 6, Katsidis fought Juan Díaz in Houston, Texas. It was another close, twelve-round fight.

Díaz won by a split decision, meaning two judges thought he won while one judge thought Katsidis won. It was a tough second loss for Katsidis.

The Comeback Trail

Michael Katsidis - Upton Park 2010-05-15
Katsidis wears his special helmet and trunks before a fight in 2010.

Katsidis did not give up. In 2009, he won two important fights. First, he beat Angel Hugo Ramirez in the Philippines. Then, he defeated Jesús Chávez in Austin, Texas.

These wins earned him another big fight. On September 19, 2009, he fought Vicente Escobedo in Las Vegas. After twelve exciting rounds, Katsidis won by split decision. This victory made him the WBO interim lightweight champion for the second time.

Major Fights in 2010

Victory in London

On May 15, 2010, Katsidis traveled to London again. He fought the undefeated English boxer Kevin Mitchell.

Katsidis was very aggressive from the start. In the third round, he landed a series of powerful punches. The referee had to stop the fight, giving Katsidis a huge victory.

World Title Challenge

After beating Mitchell, Katsidis earned a shot at the full world title. He faced the legendary Juan Manuel Márquez on November 27, 2010, in Las Vegas.

Sadly, just a month before the fight, Katsidis's brother, Stathi, passed away. Despite his grief, Katsidis chose to go on with the fight.

He started strong, knocking Márquez down in the third round. But Márquez, a very skilled boxer, recovered and fought back. In the ninth round, the referee stopped the fight, and Márquez was declared the winner. Even though he lost, fans praised Katsidis for his bravery. The match was named HBO's "Fight of the Year" for 2010.

Later Career and Retirement

Michael katsidis - wembley 2011.11.05
Katsidis (right) with his team in 2011.

In 2011, Katsidis had two more tough fights. He lost to Robert Guerrero in April and to Ricky Burns in November. After many hard battles, doctors advised him to think about his health. They suggested he should consider retiring from boxing.

Katsidis took a break but returned for a few more fights. He fought his final match in 2017. He finished his professional career with a record of 33 wins and 8 losses, with 24 of his wins by knockout.

Personal Life

Katsidis is proud of his Greek roots. He often entered the boxing ring wearing a Corinthian helmet, like an ancient Greek warrior. He also has a tattoo on his back of the Vergina Sun, a symbol from the part of Greece where his family is from.

His brother, Stathi Katsidis, was a famous horse racing jockey in Australia.

In 2009, Katsidis married Kumiko Hosako from Japan. They have a daughter who was born in December 2009.

Professional boxing record

Professional record summary
41 fights 33 wins 8 losses
By knockout 24 3
By decision 9 5
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
41 Loss 33–8 Jamie Hilt SD 3 (3) 25 Nov 2017 Rumours International, Toowoomba, Australia Super 8 Showdown: welterweight semi-final
40 Win 33–7 Robert Toomey SD 3 (3) 25 Nov 2017 Rumours International, Toowoomba, Australia Super 8 Showdown: welterweight quarter-final
39 Win 32–7 Josh King UD 8 11 Mar 2017 Rumours International, Toowoomba, Australia
38 Win 31–7 Rodynie Rafol UD 6 20 Mar 2015 Pavilion, Melbourne, Australia
37 Loss 30–7 Tommy Coyle TKO 2 (12), 1:33 25 Oct 2014 Hull Arena, Hull, England For IBF International lightweight title
36 Win 30–6 Graham Earl UD 12 4 Jul 2014 Rumours International, Toowoomba, Australia For WBU light-welterweight title
35 Win 29–6 Eddy Comaro TKO 3 (8), 1:11 14 Mar 2014 Rumours International, Toowoomba, Australia
34 Loss 28–6 Albert Mensah MD 10 13 Apr 2012 The Joint, Paradise, Nevada, US For IBF International light-welterweight title
33 Loss 28–5 Ricky Burns UD 12 5 Nov 2011 Wembley Arena, London, England For WBO interim lightweight title
32 Win 28–4 Michael Lozada KO 3 (10), 2:18 13 Aug 2011 Convention and Exhibition Centre, Gold Coast, Australia
31 Loss 27–4 Robert Guerrero UD 12 9 Apr 2011 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, US For WBA interim and WBO interim lightweight titles
30 Loss 27–3 Juan Manuel Márquez TKO 9 (12), 2:14 27 Nov 2010 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, US For WBA (Super), WBO, and The Ring lightweight titles
29 Win 27–2 Kevin Mitchell TKO 3 (12), 1:57 15 May 2010 Boleyn Ground, London, England Retained WBO interim lightweight title
28 Win 26–2 Vicente Escobedo SD 12 19 Sep 2009 MGM Grand Garden Arena, Paradise, Nevada, US Won vacant WBO interim lightweight title
27 Win 25–2 Jesús Chávez RTD 8 (10), 0:10 4 Apr 2009 Frank Erwin Center, Austin, Texas, US
26 Win 24–2 Angel Hugo Ramirez UD 10 31 Jan 2009 Coliseum, Cebu City, Philippines Won vacant WBO Asia Pacific lightweight title
25 Loss 23–2 Juan Díaz SD 12 6 Sep 2008 Toyota Center, Houston, Texas, US For vacant IBO lightweight title
24 Loss 23–1 Joel Casamayor TKO 10 (12), 0:30 22 Mar 2008 Morongo Casino Resort & Spa, Cabazon, California, US Lost WBO interim lightweight title;
For The Ring lightweight title
23 Win 23–0 Czar Amonsot UD 12 21 Jul 2007 Mandalay Bay Events Center, Paradise, Nevada, US Retained WBO interim lightweight title
22 Win 22–0 Graham Earl RTD 5 (12), 3:00 17 Feb 2007 Wembley Arena, London, England Won vacant WBO interim lightweight title
21 Win 21–0 Jakkirt Suwunnalirt KO 2 (8), 2:26 2 Jun 2006 Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia
20 Win 20–0 Nonoy Gonzales TKO 5 (10), 2:01 3 Mar 2006 Royal Pines Resort, Gold Coast, Australia
19 Win 19–0 Guillermo Mosquera TKO 1 (8), 2:38 11 Feb 2006 Rumours International, Toowoomba, Australia
18 Win 18–0 Ranee Ganoy TKO 5 (12), 2:03 19 Aug 2005 Convention & Exhibition Centre, Brisbane, Australia Retained WBO Asia Pacific lightweight title
17 Win 17–0 Addisu Tebebu TKO 2 (8), 1:51 8 Jun 2005 Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia
16 Win 16–0 Pratet Sor Thanikul KO 2 (10), 1:46 20 May 2005 Panthers World of Entertainment, Penrith, Australia
15 Win 15–0 Eduardo Enrique Alvarez KO 1 (12), 1:37 23 Feb 2005 Vodafone Arena, Melbourne, Australia Retained WBO Asia Pacific lightweight title
14 Win 14–0 Sergio Rafael Liendo RTD 8 (12), 3:00 6 Nov 2004 University of Southern Queensland, Toowoomba, Australia Won vacant IBF Pan Pacific lightweight title
13 Win 13–0 Ivan Orlando Bustos TKO 4 (8), 0:46 24 Sep 2004 Panthers World of Entertainment, Penrith, Australia
12 Win 12–0 Singsiam Eausampan KO 1 (12), 2:20 16 Jul 2004 Panthers World of Entertainment, Penrith, Australia Won vacant WBO Asia Pacific lightweight title
11 Win 11–0 Singsamut Eausampan KO 2 (8), 0:50 5 May 2004 Entertainment Centre, Sydney, Australia
10 Win 10–0 Kongthawat Sor Kitti TKO 9 (12) 8 Apr 2004 Cathedral Centre, Toowoomba, Australia Won vacant WBO Asia Pacific lightweight title
9 Win 9–0 Fred Kinuthia UD 10 20 Feb 2004 Broncos Leagues Club, Brisbane, Australia Won vacant Australian light-welterweight title
8 Win 8–0 Fred Kinuthia TKO 5 (8) 5 Dec 2003 Panthers World of Entertainment, Penrith, Australia
7 Win 7–0 Daniel Hoskins TKO 1 (6) 19 Sep 2003 Seagulls, Tweed Heads, Australia
6 Win 6–0 Mohammed Jamal Khan KO 1 (6) 22 Aug 2003 RSL Club, Gold Coast, Australia
5 Win 5–0 Kevin O'Neill TKO 4 (8) 28 Sep 2002 Saint Patricks Centre, Toowoomba, Australia
4 Win 4–0 Jay Washington TKO 1 (6), 1:03 19 Jul 2002 RSL Club, Gold Coast, Australia
3 Win 3–0 Johnny Sheferaw TKO 7 (8) 3 Jun 2002 E.G. Whitlam Recreation Centre, Sydney, Australia
2 Win 2–0 James Swan UD 12 9 Mar 2002 Toowoomba Cathedral, Toowoomba, Australia Won Australian lightweight title
1 Win 1–0 Danny Wilson KO 3 1 Dec 2001 Saint Patricks Centre, Toowoomba, Australia Won Queensland lightweight title
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