Michael Katsidis facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Michael Katsidis Μιχάλης Κατσίδης
Katsidis in 2011
Statistics
Real name	Michael Alan Katsidis
Nickname(s)	The Great Rocky
Rated at	Lightweight Light-welterweight Welterweight
Height	1.70 m
Reach	168 cm
Nationality	Australian
Born	(1980-08-15) 15 August 1980 (age 45) 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

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

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