Sefer Seferi

Sefer Seferi (born 5 March 1979) is an Albanian professional boxer who challenged for the IBO cruiserweight title in 2019. His older brother Nuri Seferi is also a professional boxer.[1]

Sefer Seferi
Statistics
Real nameSefer Seferi
Nickname(s)The Real Deal
Weight(s)Cruiserweight
Heavyweight
Height6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Reach75 in (191 cm)
NationalityAlbanian
Born (1979-03-05) 5 March 1979
Gostivar, SR Macedonia, SFR Yugoslavia
Boxing record
Total fights30
Wins25
Wins by KO23
Losses4
Draws1

Boxing career

Seferi was born in Gostivar, SFR Yugoslavia (now North Macedonia), and is of Albanian heritage. Whilst in Yugoslavia both he and brother Nuri started out wrestling, a sport which their grandfather had competed in professionally. In 1992 the family fled from Gostivar and moved to Burgdorf, Switzerland. Both brothers took up boxing in order to help with integration into Swiss society.

Seferi made his professional debut in May 2007 in the cruiserweight division. Over the next 9 years he built up a record of 21–0 with 19 knockouts, albeit against low level opposition.

On 17 September 2016, Seferi fought former WBC heavyweight title challenger and future WBA heavyweight champion Manuel Charr for WBA International heavyweight title, with Seferi making the step up to heavyweight for the first time. Charr defeated Seferi by unanimous decision after 10 rounds, ending Seferi's unbeaten record.[2]

On 20 May 2018, Seferi was announced as the first opponent for the return of former unified and lineal heavyweight champion Tyson Fury, with the fight set to take place on 9 June at Manchester Arena. The fight would be Fury's first since he beat Wladimir Klitschko to become champion more than two and half years previously in November 2015.[3][4] In April 2018, several weeks before Fury's opponent was announced, several press outlets reported Seferi was rumoured to have been chosen, with Seferi himself quoted as saying, "This would make my dream come true. I never thought I'd have the chance to stand against Fury, he is my idol. Fury is a boxing legend of the 21st century. He is tall, has weight and strength but moves easily, and he dethroned Klitschko. Fury is a bear."[5] The fight ended in a disappointing fourth round corner retirement loss for Seferi.[6]

On 21 September 2019, he challenged Kevin Lerena in Gauteng, South Africa for his IBO cruiserweight title, but was unsuccessful and lost via third-round technical knockout.[7]

Professional boxing record

28 fights 24 wins 3 losses
By knockout 22 2
By decision 2 1
Draws 1
No. Result Record Opponent Type Round, time Date Location Notes
28 Win 24–3–1 Hungary Laszlo Ivanyi RTD 5 (12) 3:00 30 Nov 2019 Switzerland Markthalle, Burgdorf, Switzerland
27 Loss 23–3–1 South Africa Kevin Lerena TKO 3 (12) 2:30 21 Sep 2019 South Africa Emperors Palace, Kempton Park, Gauteng For IBO cruiserweight title
26 Draw 23–2–1 Germany Firat Arslan MD 12 17 Nov 2018 Germany Goeppingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany For Global Boxing Union World Cruiserweight Title and WBO Inter-Continental Cruiserweight Title
25 Loss 23–2 United Kingdom Tyson Fury RTD 4 (10), 3:00 9 Jun 2018 United Kingdom Manchester Arena, Manchester, Lancashire, U.K.
24 Win 23–1 Hungary Laszlo Hubert KO 2 (8) 16 Mar 2018 Austria Hallmann Dome, Vienna, Austria
23 Win 22–1 Spain Marcelo Ferreira dos Santos KO 5 (12) 1 Apr 2017 Switzerland Markthalle, Burgdorf, Switzerland Retained WBF Intercontinental cruiserweight title
22 Loss 21–1 Syria Manuel Charr UD 10 17 Sep 2016 Germany Goeppingen, Baden-Württemberg, Germany For vacant WBA International heavyweight title
21 Win 21–0 Hungary Laszlo Hubert TKO 2 (12) 23 Apr 2016 Switzerland Markthalle, Burgdorf, Switzerland Won vacant WBF Intercontinental cruiserweight title
20 Win 20–0 Bosnia and Herzegovina Radenko Kovac KO 1 (6) 27 Jun 2015 Germany Sportpark Lippe, Detmold, Nordrhein-Westfalen, Germany
19 Win 19–0 Bosnia and Herzegovina Sasa Dajic KO 1 (8) 9 May 2015 Germany Hildesheim, Niedersachsen, Germany
18 Win 18–0 Czech Republic Josef Krivka TKO 1 (6) 16 May 2014 Germany CU Arena, Hamburg, Hamburg, Germany
17 Win 17–0 Croatia Josip Jalusic TKO 1 (6) 26 Apr 2014 Switzerland Atrium Sports Center, Buchs, Switzerland
16 Win 16–0 Hungary Gyula Bozai UD 6 7 Oct 2012 North Macedonia Boris Trajkovski Sports Arena, Skopje, Macedonia
15 Win 15–0 Germany Marko Angermann TKO 6 (6) 11 Feb 2012 Germany Boxsporthalle Braamkamp, Winterhude, Hamburg, Germany
14 Win 14–0 Croatia Josip Jalusic TKO 6 (8) 15 Oct 2011 Switzerland Sporthalle Schuetzenmatt, Burgdorf, Switzerland
13 Win 13–0 Hungary Gabor Zsalek TKO 2 (12) 24 Sep 2011 North Macedonia Gostivar, Macedonia
12 Win 12–0 Hungary Istvan Bobis TKO 2 (6) 27 Nov 2010 North Macedonia Gostivar, Macedonia
11 Win 11–0 Hungary Viktor Szalai TKO 2 (12) 26 Jun 2010 Austria Calafatti Halle Prater, Vienna, Austria Won vacant WBF Intercontinental cruiserweight title
10 Win 10–0 Croatia Tomislav Juric Grgic TKO 4 (6) 26 Dec 2009 Austria Stadthalle, Vienna, Austria
9 Win 9–0 Hungary Ferenc Zsalek KO 1 (6) 5 Dec 2009 Switzerland Sporthalle, Kirchberg, Switzerland
8 Win 8–0 Hungary Gyorgy Mihalik TKO 3 (6) 25 Jul 2009 North Macedonia Salla e Sportit, Gostivar, Macedonia
7 Win 7–0 Croatia Ivica Cukusic RTD 4 (6) 18 Apr 2009 Kosovo Pallati i Rinise, Pristina, Kosovo
6 Win 6–0 Slovakia Roman Klucar TKO 2 (6) 20 Dec 2008 Switzerland Markthalle, Burgdorf, Switzerland
5 Win 5–0 Hungary Attila Makula TKO 4 (6) 28 Nov 2008 North Macedonia Boris Trajkovski Sports Arena, Skopje, Macedonia
4 Win 4–0 Hungary Gyorgy Mihalik KO 6 (6) 28 Jun 2008 Switzerland Markthalle, Burgdorf, Switzerland
3 Win 3–0 Germany Jonathan Pasi TKO 5 (6) 3 May 2008 Switzerland Sporthalle, Kirchberg, Switzerland
2 Win 2–0 Croatia Drazen Ordulj UD 6 8 Dec 2007 Switzerland Sporthalle, Kirchberg, Switzerland
1 Win 1–0 Slovakia Anton Lascek TKO 4 (6) 26 May 2007 Switzerland Sporthalle, Kirchberg, Switzerland

References

  1. "BoxRec". boxrec.com. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  2. "Manuel Charr Drops, Decisions Alexander Ustinov For WBA Belt". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  3. "Tyson Fury to face Sefer Seferi in next month's comeback fight". The Independent. 20 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  4. "Who is Sefer Seferi? - Boxing News". Boxing News. 21 May 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  5. "Sefer Seferi says he will be Tyson Fury's comeback opponent". The Independent. 24 April 2018. Retrieved 21 May 2018.
  6. "Fury wins comfortably on return to ring". BBC Sport. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
  7. Persson, Per Ake. "News: Lerena Stops Seferi, Theophane is Back, Szpilka Returns". BoxingScene.com. Retrieved 14 May 2021.
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