Sven Ottke
Encyclopedia
Sven Ottke, known as "The Phantom", is a German
former professional boxer
who was the IBF/WBA super middleweight champion. Ottke is the third European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, after Terry Marsh
and Romania
n Michael Loewe.
er BC 26 Berlin at the age of 14.
. Ten further titles would follow. He took part in the 1988
, 1992
and 1996
Olympic Games
. He became European Champion in 1991
and 1996
, and came third in 1993
.
Ottke held amateur wins over Antonio Tarver
, Chris Byrd
, Michael Moorer
, Zsolt Erdei
and Juan Carlos Gomez
http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/Sven_Ottke%27s_Amateur_Record.
super middleweight
championship from Charles Brewer
via a disputed decision victory. After this he made 16 successful defenses of his IBF title against fighters such as Thomas Tate (twice), Glencoffe Johnson, Silvio Branco
, James Butler
, Anthony Mundine
, Charles Brewer in a rematch, and a controversial points win against Robin Reid. He was at the peak of his career when he won the WBA
title on 13 March 2003 against WBA champion Byron Mitchell
, winning by split points decision.
After successfully defending his title 21 times, Ottke stepped down as undefeated world champion on 27 March 2004. Ottke has a record of 34 wins and 0 losses as a professional, of which 6 were by knockout. He was named IBF "Fighter of the Year" in 2003.
Germany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
former professional boxer
Professional Boxing
Professional boxing, or prizefighting, emerged in the early twentieth century as boxing gradually attained legitimacy and became a regulated, sanctioned sport. Professional boxing bouts are fought for a purse which is divided among the fighters and promoters as determined by contract...
who was the IBF/WBA super middleweight champion. Ottke is the third European boxer to retire as an undefeated world champion, after Terry Marsh
Terry Marsh (boxer)
Terry Marsh is an English former professional boxer who was an undefeated world champion in the light welterweight division....
and Romania
Romania
Romania is a country located at the crossroads of Central and Southeastern Europe, on the Lower Danube, within and outside the Carpathian arch, bordering on the Black Sea...
n Michael Loewe.
Early life
Sven Ottke served two apprenticeships as a plasterer and industrial clerk. He became a member of the boxing club SpandauSpandau
Spandau is the fifth of the twelve boroughs of Berlin. It is the fourth largest and westernmost borough, situated at the confluence of the Havel and Spree rivers and along the western bank of the Havel, but the least populated.-Overview:...
er BC 26 Berlin at the age of 14.
Amateur career
He rebutted his critics, which had complained that he had started too late, when he became German Champion at the age of 18 at MiddleweightMiddleweight
Middleweight is a division, or weight class, in boxing. Early boxing history is less than exact, but the middleweight designation seems to have begun in the 1840s. In the bare-knuckle era, the first middleweight championship fight was between Tom Chandler and Dooney Harris in 1897...
. Ten further titles would follow. He took part in the 1988
1988 Summer Olympics
The 1988 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIV Olympiad, were an all international multi-sport events celebrated from September 17 to October 2, 1988 in Seoul, South Korea. They were the second summer Olympic Games to be held in Asia and the first since the 1964 Summer Olympics...
, 1992
1992 Summer Olympics
The 1992 Summer Olympic Games, officially known as the Games of the XXV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event celebrated in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain, in 1992. The International Olympic Committee voted in 1986 to separate the Summer and Winter Games, which had been held in the same...
and 1996
1996 Summer Olympics
The 1996 Summer Olympics of Atlanta, officially known as the Games of the XXVI Olympiad and unofficially known as the Centennial Olympics, was an international multi-sport event which was celebrated in 1996 in Atlanta, Georgia, United States....
Olympic Games
Olympic Games
The Olympic Games is a major international event featuring summer and winter sports, in which thousands of athletes participate in a variety of competitions. The Olympic Games have come to be regarded as the world’s foremost sports competition where more than 200 nations participate...
. He became European Champion in 1991
1991 European Amateur Boxing Championships
The Men's 1991 European Amateur Boxing Championships were held in Gothenburg, Sweden from May 7 to 12. The 29th edition of the bi-annual competition, in which 191 fighters from 26 countries participated this time, was organised by the European governing body for amateur boxing, EABA.- Medal winners...
and 1996
1996 European Amateur Boxing Championships
The Men's 1996 European Amateur Boxing Championships were held in Vejle, Denmark from March 30 to April 7. The 31st edition of the bi-annual competition, in which 304 fighters from 35 countries participated this time, was organised by the European governing body for amateur boxing, EABA.- Medal...
, and came third in 1993
1993 European Amateur Boxing Championships
The Men's 1993 European Amateur Boxing Championships were held in Bursa, Turkey from September 6 to September 12. The 30th edition of the normally bi-annual competition, in which 197 fighters from 32 countries participated this time, was organised by the European governing body for amateur boxing,...
.
Ottke held amateur wins over Antonio Tarver
Antonio Tarver
Antonio Deon Tarver , nicknamed the "Magic Man", is a professional boxer from Orlando, Florida and the former WBC, WBA, IBF, & The Ring light heavyweight champion....
, Chris Byrd
Chris Byrd
Chris Cornelius Byrd is a retired and former professional boxer. He is the former WBO and IBF heavyweight champion. His nickname is "Rapid Fire".- Early life :...
, Michael Moorer
Michael Moorer
Michael Lee Moorer is a retired American boxer who is a former light heavyweight and heavyweight World Champion.-Biography:Moorer is a native of Monessen, Pennsylvania, which is in Southwestern Pennsylvania.-Professional career:...
, Zsolt Erdei
Zsolt Erdei
Zsolt Erdei is a Hungarian boxer in the light heavyweight division. He is the former undefeated Lineal & WBO light heavyweight champion, and WBC cruiserweight champion. Erdei is also the first Hungarian to win a world title in two weight divisions.Erdei boxed at the 2000 Summer Olympics...
and Juan Carlos Gomez
Juan Carlos Gomez
Juan Carlos Gómez is a professional boxer. A former Cuban amateur star, he is also a former WBC Cruserweight Champion and a devout Muslim. He lives in and boxes out of Orlando, Florida, USA.-Early years and defection:...
http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/Sven_Ottke%27s_Amateur_Record.
- Amateur Record: 256-47-5
- East Germany Middleweight Champion 1985-1989
- German National Middleweight Champion (1990-1991, 1995-1996)
- German National Light Heavyweight Champion (1992-1993)
- Three time Olympian
Pro career
After 308 fights as an amateur, of which he won 256, he turned professional in 1997. Less than a year later on 24 October 1998, he won the IBFInternational Boxing Federation
The International Boxing Federation or IBF is one of four major organizations recognized by IBHOF which sanction world championship boxing bouts, alongside the WBA, WBC and WBO.- History :...
super middleweight
Super middleweight
Super Middleweight is a boxing and Muay Thai weight division that has a weight limit of 168 pounds .- 1960s–1983 :There was interest in a division between Middleweight and Light Heavyweight in the late 1960s, the mid-1970s, and the early 1980s...
championship from Charles Brewer
Charles Brewer (boxer)
Charles Brewer , was a professional boxer of 185 cm height in the Super Middleweight division....
via a disputed decision victory. After this he made 16 successful defenses of his IBF title against fighters such as Thomas Tate (twice), Glencoffe Johnson, Silvio Branco
Silvio Branco
Silvio Branco is a professional boxer in the light heavyweight division. His record is 59-9-2 .- Career :...
, James Butler
James Butler (boxer)
James Butler Jr. is a former American light heavyweight boxer, and former USBA super middleweight champion. He had a career record of 20-5-0, with 12 wins coming by way of knockout, and was nicknamed "The Harlem Hammer".- Biography :Butler started off his career by scoring 18 wins and only 1 loss...
, Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine
Anthony Mundine is an Australian professional boxer and former rugby league footballer.He is the current interim WBA Light Middleweight Champion boxer, former two-time WBA Super Middleweight Champion, former IBO Middleweight Champion and New South Wales State of Origin representative footballer....
, Charles Brewer in a rematch, and a controversial points win against Robin Reid. He was at the peak of his career when he won the WBA
World Boxing Association
The World Boxing Association is a boxing organization that sanctions official matches, and awards the WBA world championship title at the professional level. It was previously known as the National Boxing Association before changing its name in 1962...
title on 13 March 2003 against WBA champion Byron Mitchell
Byron Mitchell
Byron Tarone Mitchell was an American boxer of height in the super middleweight division.-Amateur career:Mitchell was the 1996 National Golden Gloves Middleweight champion.-Pro career:...
, winning by split points decision.
After successfully defending his title 21 times, Ottke stepped down as undefeated world champion on 27 March 2004. Ottke has a record of 34 wins and 0 losses as a professional, of which 6 were by knockout. He was named IBF "Fighter of the Year" in 2003.